A GROUP of Peebles parents have been fundraising for a new special-needs unit at the town’s high school so that their children can get the best education possible.

The team of 12 mums and dads all have children with various additional support needs and last August they decided to raise cash for the learning support department at Peebles High.

After only eight months, there was enough money to revamp and kit-out an old house within the High School grounds as the brand new special-needs unit. It has been fully functional since April.

At first, all that the department heads wanted was a television. But after the ‘LS PHS’ committee got going, they realised they could achieve so much more.

Before, the pupils only had two classrooms, but now they have a whole house catering to their needs.

One of the mothers, Joanne Rorison said: “Alan Stewart, the head of the department, just wanted a TV for the classroom. But after we met with him at Christmas, he was so taken aback with the amount of money we had raised and was so thrilled that so much more could actually be done for the department.”

At Christmas, the proactive parents raised an impressive £1,180 from a coffee morning.

Joanne said: “The support from the community was overwhelming, we never imagined we would raise that much money from a coffee morning. There was a raffle and face painting, and the Innerleithen Silver Band were there playing Christmas carols. It was such a good day.”

Last month, Robert Thomson, the father of one of the kids who uses the unit, ran the Edinburgh 10k and raised £400.

And two weeks ago, the group organised a duck race and managed to gather an incredible £1,000 from 1,000 ducks being sold.

Peeblesshire News:

The cheerful families involved in the fundraising campaign 

The house is kitted out with different rooms for different needs, such as a quiet room, a working room, and a social room. There is also a kitchen where the pupils will be taught independent living skills.

The whole community backed the project, and when they weren’t attending fundraising events, they were donating various items for the house, such as furniture, and even lava lamps to help create a calming atmosphere.

Joanne’s 12-year-old son Ben is dependent on the support he gets from the department, and she believes this has been hugely beneficial for the children.

“The house gives them a balance with a mix of learning and recreational spaces that are quiet and nurturing. It enables them to get the quiet they need, even if it’s just for an hour a day.

“It allows more focused support away from the hustle and bustle of the main building without making the children feel isolated or separate.

“There are benefits of them being integrated in the mainstream classes too, but sometimes even an hour a day of peace and quiet makes all the difference. For Ben, being able to eat him lunch outside the bustle of the dining hall really helps.

“We are so happy we were able to help the school reach its full potential with regards to special needs support. This will definitely be an ongoing initiative and we are keen to welcome new members too.”