24th August 2023

Charity Receives £10,000 Funding to Build New Classroom

Wildgoose Rural Training, a long-standing charity providing meaningful day opportunities for disabled adults and vulnerable children, received a substantial funding grant of £10,000.

The funding, which was provided in partnership with Axis and Travis Perkins was to be utilised to construct a new classroom that would act as a bespoke learning facility, enabling the charity to expand its services and benefit a larger number of individuals in the local community and across Worcestershire.

Established in 1999, the charity underwent a legal status change in 2010 and had since been dedicated to offering valuable day opportunities to its 107 adult students, who possessed a range of needs such as learning difficulties, physical disabilities, autism, and mental health issues. These students actively participated in various activities, including agriculture, woodwork, animal husbandry, cookery, and a workstream program, acquiring practical skills that contributed to their overall capacity and independence, thereby promoting a safer environment for themselves and the broader community.

The funding was directed towards replacing the existing small cabin at Wildgoose with a larger, fully functional classroom. This development paved the way for a broader range of subjects to be introduced, further enhancing the learning experiences of the students. With increased indoor teaching space, the charity was able to cater to a larger number of vulnerable individuals, allowing them to have a positive impact on more lives within the local community.

A total of 107 adult students directly benefited from the new classroom facility, in addition to 50 children who currently attended the charity, some with their schools and some individually. Furthermore, 10 dedicated volunteers and 30 staff members also reaped the rewards of improved facilities. Additionally, the entire community benefited from the various events hosted by Wildgoose Rural Training.

At that time, the limited capacity of the current cabin restricted the number of students who could access the services, resulting in a waiting list of eager individuals hoping to join the Wildgoose community. By expanding the classroom, the charity was able to accommodate more students, thereby enriching the lives of even more vulnerable individuals.

The gratitude from the client was genuinely heartfelt, with words of appreciation flowing freely. “Big thanks go again to Axis for supporting this project which has made a huge difference to our staff and students,” expressed Karen McConnell,  the Development officer.

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