The Lord Mayor's annual visit to Treloar's School

Simon and I joined the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress's visit to Treloar's School on 8th March with a large number of other Masters and consorts. It was an uplifting and moving experience.

The day was exceptionally well organised by the school, we were divided into groups depending on whether we had visited previously. Our group was led by the Head Boy and the Head of School and College, Jo McSherrie, a nurse by background who re-trained as a teacher.

She is also the Regional Link for “Together for Short lives” the charity that the Livery supported with a donation earlier this year.

Our tour included observing a small class finishing their lesson about the skeleton. We also visited the library which also housed some highly technical equipment to assist the children access learning via a range of resources, one in particular enabling them to see and hear some extraordinary sights such as being on the edge of a volcano or in space.

We also visited their accommodation including bedrooms, bathrooms and relaxation areas. Simon and I were also taken to the engineering department where the milling machine that our Livery recently bought for the school is housed.

The two technicians who frequently use the machine told us how they are now able to adapt pieces of equipment specifically for individual children, for example buttons so that children who have extremely limited movement can drive their own electric wheel chair with one finger, thereby providing them with much needed and important independence.

Following a school lunch – not a lot to say about that to be honest, we attended a concert performed by a group of children. Their enthusiasm and determination was extraordinary. Their teachers displayed unbelievable patience and creativity, and the school as a whole incredibly resourceful so that even the most disabled child could participate.

For example the girl in the picture is only able to wave her arm in the air in a disjointed way, however she has learnt to do this across a laser beam which triggers a note of music. She played with the help of the teacher on the piano and an assistant beside her to create some jazz, much to her own joy.

The school will be sending me a report about the Community outreach work that they are doing, which the Livery have part funded. I will share this when it reaches me. I have no doubt our annual contribution is well utilised by the school, which achieves remarkable things with children and young people with significant life limiting conditions.

Dame Elizabeth Fradd - Master