Seabourn and Lady Taverners donate minibus to disabled schoolchildren

Staff from luxury cruise line Seabourn’s UK office were joined by Judith Chalmers, the broadcaster and president emeritus of the Lady Taverners last Friday, to donate a new 16-seat wheelchair accessible minibus to the Lavinia Norfolk Centre at Angmering Secondary School, in Littlehampton, West Sussex.

The Seabourn team has been fundraising for a number of years with the aim of donating a Lady Taverners minibus for a school or community project.

The Lavinia Norfolk Centre is a specialised support centre within Angmering Sports and Science school that caters for 95 students aged 11-18, many of whom are wheelchair users. The centre enables students with severe or life threatening physical disabilities or medical conditions to be fully included in the school.

Head teacher David Brixey was present to receive the keys to the minibus along with his teaching team and a group of students, including Louis Saunders, who spoke  about how enabling a vehicle such as this can be for the school’s sporting activities and events. Louis himself is an aspiring wheelchair Boccia player.

Lynn Narraway, Seabourn’s managing director, UK and Ireland and herself a Lady Taverner, said: “As a cruise line visiting hundreds of destinations every year, we know that travel experiences are vital to everyone’s personal development and growth. We are so thrilled to have raised enough funds for a minibus and we hope that this facility will offer some fantastic travel opportunities for the students at the Angmering School.”

Paul Robin, chief executive of the Lord’s Taverners, said: “The Lord’s Taverners believes that sport and recreation are essential for all young people, regardless of ability or background. This minibus will help the Lavinia students to get out and enjoy new places and experiences in West Sussex and beyond. We are proud to support the staff, parents and young people of the Lavinia Norfolk Centre and thank Seabourn for their continued support.”