Kingsbury Academy Students Welcome Coventry's Lord Mayor, in Charitable Support for Muscular Dystrophy

Pupils from Kingsbury Academy with L-R Susannah Roberts, Amjid Zaman, Lord Mayor of Coventry, Lady Mayoress and Sarah Ann Moore

Coventry special school Kingsbury Academy recently welcomed the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Jaswant Singh Birdi, and the Lady Mayoress, accompanied by Sarah Moore, Chief Executive of the Muscular Dystrophy Support Centre, one of the charities supported by the Lord Mayor, and set to benefit from the school's fundraising efforts.

The funds were raised by the school's dedicated social action team; children on a dynamic programme aimed at preparing them for life outside school by instilling a sense of community, and social responsibility. Pupils raised £329.79 by selling Christmas cards, decorations, calendars, sweet and hot chocolate cones, and sweets in a jar that had all been made in school.

Amjid Zaman, Headteacher at Kingsbury Academy, shared insights into the learners' challenges with the visitors, particularly those with complex autism and other special needs, emphasising the importance of communication skills and family support in navigating these challenges.

The visit featured a guided tour of the school led by learners Tejvar and Jacob, members of the Junior Leadership Team, who showcased the inclusive educational environment and the students' proactive involvement in community service.

A Community Effort for a Worthy Cause

The Lord Mayor shared his admiration for the students' initiative: “The Lady Mayoress and I first met Kingsbury students during their Christmas sale at Tesco, Coventry Arena. It is heartwarming to see the proceeds from their hard work being donated to such a vital cause today.

“Engaging in community activities and charitable endeavours from a young age instils a lifelong habit of giving back and I’m very pleased that the learners have chosen one of my charities.”

Charity leader Sarah Moore expressed her gratitude towards the students' contributions: “All donations are incredibly valuable for us as a small charity and have a real impact for our service users and communities. It’s particularly special to receive a donation from the kids at Kingsbury who’ve done some brilliant work to raise money in the community. It’s great to support them and in turn have them support us.

The school is part of the Thrive Education Partnership, which takes an active role in involving learners from its seven schools across the West Midlands in their local communities. 

Bebeanna Woo, associate lead for careers, transition and inclusion at Thrive said: “We are very grateful to the businesses and organisations that interact with us and our learners, in this instance Tesco, who allowed us to spend time in their store selling our products.

“Nationally, although only 4.8 per cent of school leavers with disabilities go on to employment, I believe this number has the potential to be much higher. Many young people with disabilities go on to make fantastic employees. Together, with the help of a great network of businesses from right across our region, we are educating each other, integrating special needs into the world of work. If any employers would like to learn about how there might be mutual benefit in working with Thrive Education Partnership, I’d encourage them to get in touch.”