News

Representatives of the Lord’s Taverners were in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire last week (14 July) to present staff and pupils at Seashell Trust with a new wheelchair accessible minibus.

Since 1976, the Lord’s Taverners has placed over 1,150 accessible minibuses across schools in the UK. The iconic Lord’s Taverners minibuses provide disadvantaged and disabled young people with the chance to engage with their local community by getting more access to the facilities on offer and build important life skills in the process.

Seashell Trust specialises in providing education and care to over 120 children and young people aged 2-25 with the most complex neuro-disabilities/needs in society, including children with a combination of deafness, blindness, autism and profound physical and multiple learning difficulties.

The new 16-seat wheelchair accessible minibus will enable the Trust’s young people to access educational, sporting and social opportunities, just as their non-disabled peers do. This includes work experience placements, leisure trips to places such as Cheshire Zoo, Blackpool and the Trafford Centre as well as visits to the local sporting facilities on offer.

Dominic Tinner, Head of Fundraising at Seashell Trust, said:  “As a number of the children and young people live with us all year round, the minibuses are in constant use and provide a vital lifeline to our local community.  Without them they would miss out on the opportunities other children take for granted.  The latest incarnation of their famous green minibus is spacious, airy, fully accessible and a treat to drive.”    

Paul Robin, Chief Executive of the Lord’s Taverners, said: “The Lord's Taverners believes that sport and recreation are essential for all young people, regardless of ability or background. This minibus will help Seashell Trust’s pupils to get out and enjoy new places and experiences in Cheshire. We are proud to support the staff, parents and young people of Seashell Trust.”

The Lord’s Taverners will donate over £3 million this year to help give disadvantaged and disabled young people a ‘sporting chance’ enabling over 200,000 young people with disabilities to enjoy new places and experiences every year. The minibus scheme is just one of many initiatives the Lord’s Taverners offers. To find out more about the charity, go to www.lordstaverners.org.