Narrabri Public School will throw opens its doors to the local community with a morning tea on Monday morning to celebrate the much-anticipated arrival of their new Variety Sunshine Coach.
Variety – the Children’s Charity NSW/ACT grants Sunshine Coaches to schools and community organisations that support children living with a disability, chronic illness, financial hardship or geographic isolation.
Narrabri Public School is receiving a 22-seater Toyota Coaster with wheelchair accommodations valued at $171,633, made possible through Variety’s long-standing partnership with Toshiba and including $22,000 from the school’s dedicated fundraising efforts.
Principal Claire Allen said the coach is a vital resource that will make an incredible difference, not only to their 266 students, but to the wider community.
“We aim to provide opportunities for all our students to access education, experiences and support that enable them to live their best lives but it’s not always easy given our rural and remote location,’ she said.
“Narrabri is two hours away from Tamworth, our nearest major centre, with virtually no public transport options for local families. Over the years, the cost of hiring transport has become prohibitive which has meant that our kids do often miss out.”
“The coach will ensure all students are able to participate in sporting events, including North West competitions, inclusive sports designed for students with specific educational needs or other special events that require travel. This is often a barrier faced not only by our school but also parents and carers in the community.”
“Our new coach means our students will have immediate access to learning, sporting, cultural and community activities. This will have a life changing impact for local families, expanding life experiences and learning beyond the classroom while building lifelong memories.”
Variety NSW/ACT CEO, Tony Warner, said the program supports the delivery of Variety’s mission to ensure all children have the same opportunities in life.
“Variety Sunshine Coaches help to level the playing field and address some of the challenges that families in rural areas face by virtue of their postcode” he said.
“Variety seeks to provide those families in remote communities with practical and tangible support as part of our vision for all Australian children to reach their full potential, regardless of ability or background.”
“Since Variety Australia was founded in 1975, the Variety Sunshine Coach program has granted over 1480 coaches to schools and community organisations across the country.”
Toshiba’s Managing Director, Bret Davies, said “At Toshiba, we believe every child deserves equal access to education and opportunity, no matter where they live. We are proud to continue our 25-year partnership with Variety to help deliver practical support to schools such as Narrabri Public. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how this coach will create new opportunities for students and their families, enabling them to take part in educational, cultural, and community experiences that may have previously been out of reach.”
To find out more, visit https://www.variety.org.au/nsw/programs/sunshine-coaches/
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