‘It means the world’ - Dewsbury school excited ahead of community fun day to help raise funds for stolen mini-buses

Ravenshall School, which caters for children with complex needs, had the crucial vehicles stolen from their premises on Tuesday, May 2.

Since the theft, the community has rallied around the setting, with one parent from Thornhill Rugby Club creating the Joshua’s Wheels on the Bus Fun Day event, which is named after a pupil at the school and is being held at Overthorpe Park, on Sunday, June 18, to raise money for new buses for the school.

Charlotte Gray-Sharpe, fundraising manager at the Ravensthorpe Road setting, said: “It is going to be an absolutely fantastic day they have got planned. It is all off their own back, with a little bit of support from school. There will be entertainment, lots of different food available, activities for children, a tombala, raffle and a bouncy castle. It sounds brilliant.

“The fact that a parent and the rugby club wants to do this fundraiser is just massive and it means the world.

“We have also had some local coach companies and Hollybank Trust help us in lending us a bus. The local community has looked after us. But we want our own buses. We want to have our own buses back. It has been really difficult as they are our primary way of getting us into the community.

“It’s a community event, anyone is welcome at it - parents, pupils, people involved at the rugby club, there will be something for everybody.

“The kids are excited and have been involved in making videos to promote it. Parents are donating tombola prizes, staff have been donating raffle prizes - it’s been a fantastic response.”

Joshua’s Wheels on the Bus Fun Day is taking place at Thornhill Rugby Club, Overthorpe Park, between 12pm and 6pm, on Sunday, June 18, with all monies raised being donated to Ravenshall School. Everyone is welcome.

West Yorkshire Police have been approached for an update on the theft.