A Bradford special school is aiming to raise funds to equip its pupils with specially-adapted bicycles.

Chellow Heights Special School, Heaton, caters for 90 pupils aged between two and nine who have a range of conditions, including autism, profound physical disabilities and behavioural problems.

Head teacher Sue Haithwaite believes all her pupils would benefit from the freedom and sense of accomplishment that comes with pedal power but the bikes cost up to £5,000 each.

Mrs Haithwaite said: “These bikes give our children the opportunity to overcome a disability and to enjoy the same activities as able-bodied children – opportunities that the rest of us take for granted.”

The bikes have to be imported and staff trained to ride them, adding to the cost to the school. Mrs Haithwaite said she was looking to add to the two bikes the school already has. She aims to have a full fleet of bikes to cover all the different physical difficulties her pupils have. Some models are designed for riders who cannot sit up by themselves and others are for children who cannot operate pedals.

The school’s efforts to raise funds have been given an earlier boost with a £2,000 donation from Bradford-based Relay Recruitment and one of its clients, Valley, the Bingley and Keighley shop display manufacturer.

Steven Street, managing director of Relay, raised the money by completing a sponsored mountain biking, fell running and kayaking challenge in the Lake District. Jonathan Haggas, who runs Valley, was Mr Street’s biggest benefactor and they visited the school to see the benefits of the bikes for themselves.

Relay’s support of the school is part of the company’s new ‘Smil£s in the Community’ programme.

The initiative involves staff logging the distances they travel on foot, by bike, cycling machine or any other form of exercise and for each mile the firm will donate 50p to a fund. The money will be shared between several Yorkshire charities and community causes, including Chellow Heights.

Mr Street said: “I’d like to thank everyone for their encouragement and donations so far.

“We have had fantastic backing from individuals and companies alike, including our partner Stafforce Recruitment, which has a long history of support for communities at home and abroad and shares our instinct to give back to society.”

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