New accessible minibus for young people at GANF

GANF (Grantham additional needs fellowship) part of CIT Academies, is a specialist school for pupils aged 3-19 with moderate to severe learning difficulties and complex needs. Its pupils’ needs are wide ranging; many are on the autistic spectrum, with others living with ADHD and varying degrees of developmental delay, and some with profound and multiple learning difficulties. The school is based across two sites, Sandon and Ambergate.

The new 16-seat wheelchair accessible minibus will enable the school to transport children to therapeutic activities and events, and other activities such as residential trips that offer essential life skills development opportunities.

The increased opportunity to access the local community and facilities on offer will provide students with the chance to experience things that they wouldn’t be able to otherwise and help improve their confidence and self-esteem.

GANF applied for the new specially adapted minibus in 2020 but the pandemic and more recently, supply issues in the motor industry due to a lack of key components, Brexit, Covid-19 and most recently the war in Ukraine, led to the delay. Given there is no indication of when this may be resolved, costs increasing, new diesel vehicles being banned from 2030 and the greater demand for eco-friendly solutions such as electric vehicles, the charity has taken the decision to honour any outstanding approved minibus applications while putting the rest of the programme on hold.

The delivery of the charity’s new strategy puts the primary focus on delivering impactful national cricket programmes that deliver life changing work in communities across the country daily. The charity will continue to work with those schools who have outstanding approved applications and look at ways in which support can be offered in finding alternative long-term transport solutions.