Thanks to a donation from Annington, Portesbery School in Mindenhurst, a specialist SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) school in Surrey, received a visit from Santa and his animals this festive season. The school is located close to Malta Road on The Weald development, where Annington recently launched the first collection of refurbished rental homes to market.
The event took place on Thursday 11th December and involved a visit from Santa Claus, along with small animals, including Baa and Humbug the sheep, for the pupils to meet.
The Santa’s grotto thoughtfully considered the requirements of young people with special educational needs, providing a safe and accessible environment in what is often a busy and overwhelming time. Portesbery School is an all-age day school, catering for students aged three to 19, located just minutes from The Weald, which plans to bring 200 homes back to life.
Nathan Aspinall, Head Teacher at Portesbery School, comments: “For many young people with special educational needs and disabilities, finding events that have the necessary adjustments available, or engaging in accessible play is a daily challenge. Most of the students at Portesbery School are not able to visit regular Grottos and ‘meet Santa’, as these events often lack SEND accommodations. With Annington’s continued support of our event, the SEND friendly Christmas grotto has been a valuable experience for the pupils and is an exciting opportunity for them to feel involved in the festive celebrations.”
Stacy Whitehead, Marketing Manager at Annington, added: “We feel incredibly privileged to contribute towards Portesbery School’s efforts to nurture an inclusive local community. As we refurbish homes at The Weald in Mindenhurst, it’s important that we support our neighbours wherever we can. With Portesbery School so close, helping to bring their SEND friendly Christmas festivities to life for the second year are the first steps in what we hope to be a long-term partnership. We’ve loved seeing the photos and joy Santa’s visit has brought!”
Annington’s rental homes on Malta Road at The Weald are available to view via appointment only. Prices start from £1,900 per calendar month for a three-bedroom home. To find out more and to book a viewing, visit the website, www.the-weald.com, contact the appointed lettings agent Bridges via 01276 417191, or email theweald@bridges.co.uk.