Latest news with #YorkshireChildren'sCharity
BBC News
30-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Work begins on £3m refurbishment of Hilltop school
Work has begun on a £3m project to transform a school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).Cramped and outdated classrooms at Hilltop School in Maltby, Rotherham, will be replaced with spacious and accessible facilities as part of the project, with more than 50 contractors working for free on the school, which provides specialist education for children with complex needs aged between two and 19, will remain open throughout the refurbishment work. Charlotte Farrington, founder of Yorkshire Children's Charity, which is co-ordinating the work, said it was "a life-changing project for the children and families" at the school. Half of state-funded schools in England for children with special educational needs and disabilities are oversubscribed, BBC research found in 2011, Hilltop School had just over 80 children enrolled, but that number is now more than 180, according to the Nexus Multi Academy Trust that runs it said the 1970s building did not have the space or features to properly accommodate their needs and that the school could not previously afford to update its facilities. Yorkshire Children's Charity works with SEND schools across the region, but Ms Farrington said Hilltop School was "without question, the worst I've ever been into"."I remember coming in to visit the first time, I cried all the way home from Rotherham to Leeds out of frustration - our most vulnerable children were having to make do with such poor facilities," she called it a "pressure cooker" for staff and students. As part of its transformation, new classrooms and a centre for trampoline therapy will be Sam MacDonald said he was excited to have a designated space for the school's trampolines, as using them led to "higher engagement, higher interaction, and more alertness" amongst added they also gave "massive access to the wider world" to children with physical school's ventilation system will also be Farrington said: "Outside of home and hospital, school for many of these children is all that they know, and we really have to question what kind of society we live in if we are not putting their needs first and foremost." Lee Powell, managing director of Henry Boot Construction, one of the contractors working on the project, said: "We're quite a competitive bunch in the construction and property industry."We're competing against each other for works and contracts, but for us all to join forces and do this here, it's quite rewarding."He said he was impressed by how "upbeat" the school's students and staff were despite the "run down" work is expected to be complete by September 2026. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds or catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Charity donates more than 18,000 Easter eggs to children in Yorkshire
A charity has donated more than 18,000 Easter eggs to primary schools across Yorkshire. Yorkshire Children's Charity rallied the support of businesses and individuals from across the region to achieve the feat. The charity supports disadvantaged children and young people in Yorkshire living with sickness, disability, or difficult financial circumstances. Charlotte Farrington, CEO and founder of Yorkshire Children's Charity, said: "While we primarily focus our energy and resources on funding essential items, we understand how important it is for children to feel included in other celebrations throughout the year. "An Easter egg is something many children take for granted, but for families living in destitution this is just yet another luxury that feels out of reach. "As a child, it might not be a standout memory getting an Easter egg, but you will remember if you were the one child that didn't. "Our Easter appeal is only made possible through the kindness and dedication of our supporters. "We have been absolutely blown away by the support this year and, thanks to this remarkable generosity, we have delivered Easter eggs for every pupil in over 50 schools across Yorkshire." Seventy companies across Yorkshire supported the appeal, setting up collection points in offices and getting customers involved with raffles and giveaways.
