Mystery donor gives a pleasant early Christmas present

During her year in office as Mayor of Durham City, Jan Blakey started an appeal to raise money for Trinity School and Sports College in order for them to buy a new specially adapted minibus.

Her appeal later received an astonishing boost from an anonymous donor who contributed £10,000 towards the fund.

During a visit to the school, Durham Cllr Blakey, said: “I was absolutely staggered when I received the donation of £10,000 to my fund for a school minibus at Trinity School.”

“It was a truly incredible gesture and the timing could not have been better. I knew that Trinity School were trying to raise enough funds to purchase a new minibus for their pupils.

“When I told the school of their windfall, everyone was absolutely delighted and they are now ready to press on with the purchase of the adapted minibus which will be ready next year and will be a wonderful boost for the pupils.”

The school has now reached the target of £17,000 in record time thanks to the generous donor and also means they now qualify for extra funding from the Lord’s Taverners, which provides schools with adapted transportation for young people with disabilities. 

The main purpose of the minibus is to provide schools with the facility to help pupils take part in sporting and recreational activities and to also provide a better transport service to and from the school.

Alison Jefferson, business manager at Trinity School, said: “The gesture from Cllr Blakey came totally out of the blue – a complete surprise.

“I can’t imagine a better Christmas present.”