SARH’s birthday gift to Walton Hall

REFURBISHMENT work on a school building within the grounds of Walton Hall has been given funding from a Stafford and Rural Homes.

SARH  donated £555 to the project at Walton Hall Community Special School near Eccleshall as part of its fifth birthday celebrations.

 Anna McLauchlan, Neighbourhoods Project Officer for SARH, said: “To mark SARH’s anniversary our focus has been on supporting community projects and organisations that make a difference to local people and Walton Hall Community Special School is a fantastic example of such a project.”

 The school is located at a 19^th century country house and provides day and residential education to pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities aged between 11 and 19 years old.

 The Prince’s Trust-led project will see a disused house within the grounds of the hall refurbished so it can be used by the school for therapy sessions.

 Shev Lambert, who is helping to run the project for the Prince’s Trust, said the work had made a massive difference to the lives of the 17 to 22-year-olds who had been involved.

 “When they start this course many of them do not have a lot of direction in their lives,” he said. “This project work has helped boost their confidence because they have seen what a positive difference they can make.”

 The money was spent on decorating materials including tile adhesive and carpet for the therapy suite.

 Katie Hill, community liaison officer at Walton Hall, said: “This generous donation has allowed the Prince’s Trust team to create a much needed therapy suite in the school.

 “This area is greatly needed and will be beneficial for all our pupils. I would like to thank Stafford and Rural Homes for their support and generosity.”