Students with additional learning needs at Alderman Knight School Post 16 are organising a number of different fundraisers to help pay towards a trip to Belgium.

Alderman Knight is twinned with a school in the Wetteren region of Belgium, and assistant head teacher Hannah Silverthorn explains how the relationship came about.

She said: “This will be the second trip we've made to Sint Lodewijk School in Belgium. Our link began when we were approached by them to engage in a project funded by Erasmus scheme back in 2016.

“Our focus from the project then was leisure activities for people with additional needs in both UK and Belgium.”

The link between the schools saw pupils from Belgium visiting Gloucestershire and surrounding counties in October, as part of a joint project called ‘Roots and Wings’.

“Our theme this time is about culture and heritage within each country and how celebrations are the same or different and the relevance of them to the young people,” continued Hannah.

“So when we hosted the visit in October we hosted them for a workshop investigating famous sites and customs for each country.

“We visited two historical sites – Stonehenge and Stratford Upon Avon learning about William Shakespeare and his life and influence.”

Hannah explains that the connection between to the two schools and the project is so valuable to the pupils at Alderman Knight, with the trips not only being educational, but also very social.

She said: “The benefits of the link enables connections to be made across countries of like-minded people – it broadens experiences for both groups of young people and has developed friendships beyond the confinements of each school.

“Young people who were involved in the project last time around are still in contact with the people they met, and this is a fantastic outcome.”

“Extra-curricular activities like these are extremely valuable to our pupils, some of them will be accessing activities and experiences that they may not have had the opportunities to be part of otherwise.

“For many of the students, it will provide them with a learning experience that they have not had the opportunity to be part of before and may not have again, as well as giving them a chance to travel abroad beyond their local communities and counties.”

The students have begun a fundraising campaign to raise money, with a host of events lined up which they hope will help towards the final total needed to fund the return trip in April.

Hannah added: “We are looking to raise around £3,000. We have received a generous donation from the Tewkesbury Rotary Club in support of this trip and we have applied for grants to support the funding which we're waiting to hear about the outcomes of.

“Events we have organised so far include a raffle stall at a Coffee Morning (6th April 10am-12pm Alderman Knight School), a Car Boot Sale (9th March 10am-12pm Alderman Knight School) and all the participants making the return visit are completing a Sponsored Work Out for 6 hours at the gym in our Post 16 unit.

“The students making the visit have been involved in organising and running these events as well as being encouraged to host their own fundraisers.”

Students have also set up a JustGiving page for donations https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/colette-hawes?utm_term=DVg5eDvVK