Treloar's athletes on track for 2012: fundraising drive to help students on road to Paralympics

Last week three students at the School received help from local gold medal winner Peter Norfolk who offered guidance on training, preparation and training equipment.. The School hopes to help them further on the road to 2012 by raising funds for bespoke racing wheelchairs. The fundraising drive coincides with Treloar's winning the coveted Daily Telegraph Sports Matters award for Excellence in Disabled Sport.

Topping a successful week for sport at Treloar's, the School team which competed in last weekend's Norwich Union Wheelpower National Junior Games in Stoke Mandeville came home with a total of five gold, five silver and four bronze medals. On top of this, Marie Devlin (15) was talent spotted for powerlifitng, and asked to attend a weekend training camp. She was also selected to represent the South East at discus in the UK School Games in August. Other students who competed included Paige Tabone (16), James Clowes (14); Habib Cham (13); and Poppy Hammond (15). The team was accompanied by lead physical education LSA Kim Smith along with Barry Bowden (a Care Co-ordinator at Treloar School and joint Head Coach for the England Boccia team) as well as other members of staff from the School.

Treloar's looks set to maintain its record of Paralympic excellence in 2012, following this year's gold and silver medal wins in Beijing by former students David Smith, Dan Bentley and Ben Rushgrove. Among the Paralympic hopefuls currently at Treloars, Marie Devlin, Ben McGifford (15) and Craig Dewart (16) met with local gold and bronze medallist Peter Norfolk last week to share his experiences, learn how to prepare for training and ask advice on sporting equipment. Peter spent time talking to the students about their ambitions for the future, encouraging them to aim high with their goals. Treloar's Head of Physical Education Sandra King will also have a key role in the 2012 Paralympics, where she will be the competition manager for the sport of Boccia.

Treloar School Headteacher Harry Dicks said:

"With Treloar's depth of understanding of sport for disabled people and its experience of working with students with different physical needs and sporting interests, our students have excelled time and again in competitive sport.

"Last weekend's National Junior Games were a huge success for us, recognising the commitment and hard work of both students and staff. Treloar's has worked especially hard to create a breadth of opportunity with an entitlement to take part in sport, allowing students the freedom to fulfil their ambitions and potential."

Treloar School student Ben McGifford, said:

"I went to a mainstream school before Treloar's and wasn't able to get really involved in sport. Since being at Treloar School I have done a lot of wheelchair sport and this has given me the confidence to be successful in the future"

·The Treloar Trust was founded by Sir William Purdie Treloar while he was Lord Mayor of the City of London (1906). Now, 100 years later, it supports Treloar School (for pupils 7-16) and Treloar College (further education for students 16+). Both School and College are specialists in providing education, care, therapy, medical support, independence training and opportunities for young people with physical disabilities from all over the UK.