Man on a Mission!

Nathan will be attempting to walk several laps around his school during the week after October half term, in order to raise funds for a new and improved playground.

This is no mean feat, as Nathan has Patau Syndrome which is a rare genetic condition. We were told when Nathan was 2 weeks old that children with Patau Syndrome only have a 10% chance of making it to their 1st Birthday. Nathan is non-verbal and has complex needs with global developmental delay, but this doesn’t stop him making the most of everyday with a very cheeky smile and a loud “voice” telling everyone what he likes and dislikes.

We didn’t think he would ever walk, let alone reach the grand old age of 10! But despite a few bumps in the road along the way, he is going from strength to strength thanks to all the amazing staff at The Ridgeway School. It just goes to show that anything is possible with great support, a lot of determination and the soundtrack from his favourite diva, Tina Turner (Simply the Best)!

Nathan would love it if you could help him give something back to a school that has done so much for him. And this will be appreciated by many children like Nathan in the future, some of whom may not be able to access a public playground.

Thank you for reading this story.

Many thanks

Kate

Below is some more information about The Ridgeway School's plans:

The Ridgway school is a special needs school in Farnham, Surrey supporting the needs of children aged 2-19 with severe and profound multiple learning difficulties, additional and complex needs. For many of our children, school is the only community they belong to outside the home so we believe it's important that we provide the best possible facilities to enjoy rich, varied experiences here. Our playground is in dire need of updating - it is a small, tight tarmacked space. Some parts are made of wood which is starting to rot. Our plan is to completely revamp the whole area and ensuring that there is a space for every pupil in the school.

Our plans are ambitious and we need to raise £475,000. We are already over half way to are target and need to raise the balance by summer 2024 for the works to be completed next year.,