Pupils from an additional learning needs centre in Ammanford can now travel to events together, thanks to a wheelchair compatible minibus provided by children’s charity Variety and DPD, the leading parcel delivery company.

Ysgol Dyffryn Aman’s Canolfan Amanwy provides education for 30 students aged 11 – 19, with a range of limiting conditions including cerebral palsy and Downs Syndrome.

Headteacher Nerys Nicholas was delighted to receive the keys to the brand new minibus – officially known as a Variety Sunshine Coach – from DPD’s regional manager Adam Nichols during a special presentation at the school on Friday, March 22.

“Now that we have our own wheelchair accessible coach, all the pupils will be able to attend events together,” said Mrs Nicholas.

“Before we had to plan well in advance to book a wheelchair accessible coach.”

The Variety Sunshine Coach will prove invaluable to four of the school’s pupils who must always travel in their wheelchairs.

They were unable to travel in the school’s three other minibuses because they are not wheelchair compatible.

Dave King, Variety’s Head of Programmes, said: “We are extremely grateful to DPD for helping to fund the school’s Variety Sunshine Coach.

“These coaches, often regarded as mobile classrooms, provides pupils with additional needs the opportunity to develop life skills outside of the school environment.”

The 17 seater Variety Sunshine Coach will be used to take pupils to weekly work experience placements, to weekly shopping trips and for regular trips to support subjects such as geography and history.

One of the first trips in the Variety Sunshine Coach will be to Cardiff for the National Disability Gymnastics Competition on Thursday of next week.

Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO, added: “We continue to support Variety year after year because of the fantastic work they do and because it remains a hugely popular cause with our whole team.

“These coaches make a world of difference and it gives us enormous pleasure to handover the keys to Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.”

The school, pupils and parents contributed to the cost of the Variety Sunshine Coach by raising funds from activities such as sponsored walks and curry evenings.

Rugby stars Dan Lydiate, Kieran Hardy, Hannah Jones and actor Dafydd Hywel all attended the presentation.