Echo All To Play For campaign: Sunderland school prepares for special day in its history

A school helping autistic pupils to reach their full potential is preparing for a landmark day.
By Gavin Ledwith
Published 13th Mar 2020, 06:00 BST
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Sunderland’s Thornhill Park School has moved from its Thornhill Park home to premises in the Plains Farm area of the city so that it can cater for an additional 30 young people aged from five-19.

Its new home is due to be officially opened on Friday, March 13, by Sunderland Central MP Julie Elliott.

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Mrs Elliott is also expected to tour the Plains Road site before unveiling a commemorative plaque.

Thornhill Park School pupils play in the playground which Echo readers are helping to equip by backing a new £25,000 campaign.Thornhill Park School pupils play in the playground which Echo readers are helping to equip by backing a new £25,000 campaign.
Thornhill Park School pupils play in the playground which Echo readers are helping to equip by backing a new £25,000 campaign.

She is then due to join two pupils, headteacher Christine Cave and John Phillipson, the chief executive of the North East Autism Society (NEAS), which runs the school, to plant a time capsule in the courtyard.

Thornhill Park School is held dearly in the hearts of Sunderland Echo readers.

They helped raise more than £25,000 towards the cost of buying the original school back in 1980 through a variety of events across Sunderland.

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Pigeon fanciers and punk rockers were among the groups of people to contribute towards the year-long Echo campaign.

The Sunderland Echo and North East Autism Society have launched a joint campaign to raise £25,000 for the new Thornhill Park School.The Sunderland Echo and North East Autism Society have launched a joint campaign to raise £25,000 for the new Thornhill Park School.
The Sunderland Echo and North East Autism Society have launched a joint campaign to raise £25,000 for the new Thornhill Park School.

Now we have launched a similar appeal in conjunction with the society – All To Play For – to raise another £25,000 towards the cost of specialist playground equipment for the pupils.

A jungle bridge, roundabouts, swings and slides are among the sensory equipment NEAS wishes to purchase to provide youngsters with stimulation as well as to help them with their balance.

The £25,000-plus adventure playground would also be used as an incentive to help pupils aged five-19 focus on their learning.

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Among the events already planned is NEAS’s Walk for Autism Acceptance at Herrington Country Park on Friday, April 17, at 11am.

Registration for the walk is via www.ne-as.org.uk/Event/walk-for-autism2020.

Cheques can be made out to the North East Autism Society and addressed to The Fundraising Team, All To Play For Appeal, Thornhill Park School, Portland Road, Sunderland, Tyne/Wear, SR3 1SS.

Online donations can be made at www.ne-as.org.uk/appeal/all-to-play-for.

*If you are organising an event for All To Play For then please contact Gavin Ledwith at the Echo on (0191) 5017435 or via email at [email protected]

Related topics:Sunderland