My name is Belinda Riley, and I am a member of staff at Manchester Communication Primary Academy. This year, I am taking on the once-in-a-lifetime challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro - not for personal glory, but to raise vital funds for our non-verbal pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Every pound raised through my JustGiving page will go directly to Manchester Communication Primary Academy, a primary school in the heart of Harpurhey, in one of the most deprived areas of Manchester. The funds will support the creation of a sensory-rich outdoor learning environment and help provide specialist enrichment sessions such as sensory play, music, dance, and art therapy - resources we currently lack but urgently need. For our non-speaking children, these experiences are not luxuries; they are essential ways to communicate, express emotions, build confidence, and connect with the world around them.

As someone who works with these children every day, I see first-hand how life-changing the right support and resources can be - and how much more could be achieved with additional funding. This climb is not just a physical challenge; it is a determined effort to give our pupils the opportunities they truly deserve.

By sponsoring my Kilimanjaro climb, you would be making a genuine and lasting difference to a local school and its families.

This is how your donation can make an impact:

• £10 Provides sensory resources such as tactile toys, textured mats or fidget tools

• £50 Helps towards purchasing outdoor equipment

• £150+ Supports a contribution towards enrichment activities for the children

• £200+ Contributes towards developing and improving the school’s outdoor sensory area for long term use

• £250 Funds a group sensory or music therapy session

• £500+ Helps transform the outdoor learning environment for long-term use

Every donation helps create a calmer, more supportive and more enriching environment for these incredible children

You can find out more about our school and community via our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MCPAcademy1 and our website: https://www.mcpacademy.co.uk/

Thanks for your kindness and support and taking the time to visit my JustGiving page :)

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, I will withdraw funds directly. It's the most efficient way to donate and saves time and costs.