Aylesbury Vale school hosts awareness day celebrating famous local charity

Pupils at an Aylesbury Vale school enjoyed an informative open day celebrating and raising funds for a well-known local charity.

On Thursday (3 November), students at Wingrave School took part in a Disability Awareness Assembly.

It was launched as part of a wider fundraising initiative in support of Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research (SMSR).

SMSR funds research into spinal cord injuries to improve the quality of life for those living with the condition - currently around 50,000 people in the UK alone.

Over 200 pupils participated in the awareness event and listened to an insightful talk from SMSR’s ambassador, Kat Panagaki, who visited the school on the day to reveal what life is really like for those facing the daily challenges, and complications, of spinal cord injury.

Kat, a C5 tetraplegic, who was involved in a car accident in March 2014, while on holiday in Greece, said: “Since being part of the disabled community, I've seen how people treat you differently. My aim is to make people see that disability doesn't stop you from living a full, adventurous life.”

Commenting on the awareness day, SMSR Corporate & Community Fundraiser, Kate Favell, said: “We are delighted to visit Wingrave School with our Charity Ambassador, Kat Panagaki, who shared her personal experiences of living with a spinal cord injury.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to the school for their support in both raising awareness of the vital work of Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research, and for their fantastic fundraising efforts through taking on our Wheels at Work challenge as well as organising a non-uniform/mufti day for pupils to take part in.”

More information on the charity can be found online.

A school spokesperson added: “Huge thanks to Gerald Simonds Healthcare, Aylesbury, long-standing partner of Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research's Wheels at Work initiative, for providing all the wheelchairs.”

Gerald Simonds Healthcare is an Aylesbury-based wheelchair supplier which works closely with the well-known charity in Stoke Mandeville.

SMSR also works closely with the Aylesbury-based National Spinal Injuries Centre to build on the pioneering research carried out by Sir Ludwig Guttmann.