The Companions of the Old Albanians and Berkhampstead Chapters donated £500 and £460 respectively to The Collett SEN School. This was match funded by Hertfordshire Provincial Chapter to the tune of £250 each. Clive Bradnum presented a cheque for £500 to Josh one of the children at the school. A cheque for £500 from De Lisle Motor Engineers and Body Works of Northchurch was also presented. Other Craft, Chapter and Mark Lodges are also making donations to the school. The Mark Benevolent Fund is to give a grant of £14,365 for the school to replace their strobe effecting fluorescent light with LEDs.
The children at the Collett school have many syndromes including Down’s and 50% of the children have Autism. Two of the pupils have very rare diagnosis, one who is one of only two in the world and another who is one of only six in the world. Almost half of the children are under the Great Ormond Street Hospital. Nearly 50% of the pupils come from financially disadvantaged backgrounds; some are in care, fostered and many have parents who have special needs themselves. The Collett SEN School is the only “Special” School in Hertfordshire that caters for 4 to 17 year olds and one of the lowest funded. 93% of the Local Authority funding is used for the necessary high ratio of staff leaving 7% to cover everything from loo rolls to books.
If you would like any further information on this Charity or any others, please contact the Provincial Grand Charity Steward, E Comp Clive Bradnum