John Colet Lends Some Sparkle

Dear Editor,

Sparkles is a small charity, run on a volunteer basis, which provides pre-school aged children who have Down’s syndrome with weekly, specialist speech therapy. We have sessions in High Wycombe and Aylesbury and currently support 21 children from the surrounding areas. With this intensive therapy we give the children at Sparkles speech and language support when it matters; helping them to make themselves heard in the world, easing their path into childhood, communication with peers and ultimately into school.

Earlier this term I was contacted by Mrs Gould from John Colet School, Wendover. Mrs Gould informed me that Deputy Head Girl Amy Russell had brought Sparkles to the attention of the school council, who had voted to support us in their charitable Help Week, held in November.

I was invited in to the school to give assemblies about Sparkles. My 3 year old daughter Tara and I were given a warm welcome and the students listened carefully to my talk on what Sparkles does, why and how. Help Week was, by all accounts, an amazing week. Soak the teacher, cake bake competitions, talent shows, teacher versus student quizzes and a mufti day to name but a few of the events were brilliantly organised, executed and supported.

The combination of hard work and fun has resulted in a superb donation of £3052.62 from the John Colet School to Sparkles! This sum will go directly to pay for the speech therapy over the coming academic term.

On behalf of all the families involved with Sparkles, I would like to extend a huge thank you to all the staff, pupils and families of the John Colet school for their support.