Barclays Wealth has helped make a trip to London for five special needs students from St Ninian’s High School a weekend to remember.
Support from Barclays Wealth gave the students a real chance to experience life in England’s capital along with many educational highlights.
It was some of the students' first trip away from home and for one girl, her first time on an aeroplane!
During their first day in London, the party, which included teachers Mr Roe, Mrs Parker and Mrs Spencer, had an open-topped bus tour of the city's sights, followed by a trip to Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden.
In the evening, the group attended a performance of Oliver! the musical, starring Rowan Atkinson and Jodie Prenger.
The second day was filled with visits to the Aquarium, where the students came face to face with sharks and many species of fish and the Natural History Museum where life size displays of elephants, lions and dinosaurs caught their attention.
Jon Roe, Learning Support Unit Co-ordinator said, “We were delighted to be able to take a small group of our students on this exciting and educational trip to London.
"The students work very hard throughout the year and this was a real treat for them and an important step for a some of them, as they had never before been away from their parents.
“Developing independence, communication skills and the ability to cope with social situations are key elements in the needs of these children and a trip such as this is a vital part of their learning and progress.
"I would like to thank Barclays Wealth for making this trip possible, we had an amazing time and the students really enjoyed themselves.”
Ian Pilley, Head of Operational Change at Barclays Wealth in the Isle of Man, was invited along to the school to watch a slideshow of images from the trip, "It was great to see the depth of activities the students experienced on their trip, and after speaking to them it was clear to see how rewarding the weekend had been for them on many levels.
"Barclays Wealth is a key player in the Isle of Man, actively engaging with the local community on many projects and it is always satisfying to learn first-hand what difference our support can make."
Pictured (l-r): Robert Clarke, Marie Spencer (teacher), Katy Nicol, Jon Roe (Learning Support Unit Co-ordinator), Ian Pilley (Barclays Wealth), Matthew Callin and Georgina Lorimer.
