TRIATHLON DAD RAISES IMPORTANT FUNDS FOR DAUGHTER’ S SCHOOL
DOG ATTENDS CLASSES AT WORTHING HIGH SCHOOL
EDUCATION
EDUCATION NEWS
TRIATHLON DAD RAISES IMPORTANT FUNDS FOR DAUGHTER’ S SCHOOL
The Brook School in Maidenbower has a strong supporter in Simon Nicholls. Living next door to the school, and with a daughter in Year 1, he has always felt a close bond with the school, so when the call went out for volunteers and donations to help create a memory garden within the school grounds, Mr Nicholls knew what he needed to do.
It may not be the first thought for many of us, whose minds might stray to bake sales and tombolas, but Simon Nicholls has decided to enter the Ironman Triathlon for 2017 in order to assist his daughter’ s school. Even before completing the competition – Simon entered in 2016 and finished the swimming and most of the cycling heats, but injury prevented him from continuing with the running aspect – he has gained over £ 800 in sponsorship, all of which he has given to the school. This has been topped up with £ 100 from Nationwide, for whom Mr Nicholls works.
Simon Nicholls is no stranger to endurance, he has run 5K and 10K races in the past, as well as marathons, and had he not hurt his foot last year he would have one complete Ironman Challenge under his belt. His next challenge is the Brighton Marathon in April.
DOG ATTENDS CLASSES AT WORTHING HIGH SCHOOL
A new addition to classes has made quite an impact at Worthing High School. His name is Buddy, and he is a Border Collie. Buddy isn’ t a confused dog who has wandered in by mistake though, in fact he has a job to do at the school, and it’ s an important one too.
Buddy is there to help students integrate into the school and to relax those with social difficulties. At just three years old, Buddy is already joining in with classes four days a week including emotional literacy, which teaches children about how to understand facial expressions and gage reactions – something that can be difficult for people with some forms of autism.
Buddy is said to calm students and staff, and allow for more peaceful, productive lessons, which in the past had been difficult to achieve. Now, learning and understanding is much better – Buddy even offers one-to-one relaxation work for students who find it particularly difficult to carry out daily activities.
It was pupil Max Older, 15, who came up with the idea of a dog to help at the school. He arranged for Buddy, who had recently been adopted from Clymping Dog Sanctuary by Mrs Gatford, assistant headteacher at Worthing High School, to come in on a trial basis, and the plan worked so well that Mrs Gatford brings him in every day that she is working. The rest of the time he lives with her at home.
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