Hello,

We're helping raise funds for Ashgate Croft, an Area Special School within Derbyshire.

About the school

Ashgate Croft school is an area special school within Derbyshire Local Authority, with 138 pupils currently on role (YR-Y14), ranging widely in cognitive and physical ability and needs.

The majority of pupils have severe learning difficulties and would have difficulty coping in a mainstream school. Some of our pupils have profound and multiple learning difficulties, with an increasing number on the autism spectrum. A few pupils have moderate learning difficulties. There is a very wide ability range throughout the school ranging from P1ii - level 4.

Why?

Ashgate Croft is a school which I have been involved with a lot over past years, both with pupils and teachers.

The reason why I chose Ashgate is because I have seen first hand the work which the staff do to ensure the pupils are given the best support and the best opportunities.

Where will the funds go?

I have been in contact with the school to make them aware of the fundraising I am doing, and also to ask where the funds raised will be spent. The school are currently planning a new project to refurbish the food technology room.

The area which the school are currently considering improving is the Food Technology room. This is used by all the pupils to help understand the food cycle, allowing them to use the home grown crops from the poly tunnel and help them prepare and create meals, ensuring they are building those skills for life. As with any other person in the world, one of the essential life skills is to ensure you can provide for yourself, which includes fuelling your body. The pupils learn to prepare, cook, serve and share meals with colleagues and staff, which also allows them to touch on the social aspect of eating with friends and family.

Unfortunately the room itself has previously not been designed to accommodate all pupils with special needs. The current layout is not wheelchair friendly and does not promote the sharing aspect required while preparing food with staff and colleagues. The space could be utilized better to provide shared, rise and fall worktops, also having adequate space to allow ease of moving around a kitchen area making it safer and easier to teach and cook.

To help fundraise for this amazing school we are collecting gifts at the Worksop Enterprise branch from the public and employees, which will be taken down to the school. Also I have created an account on JustGiving to take donations. So please please please reach out and give anything you can to help to ensure the school have the best Christmas!!!!

Please donate to my JustGiving Crowdfunding Page and help make it happen:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ashgate-croft-chris-hughes?utm_id=2&utm_term=b5PvRWeY8