Paralympic champion inspires students during visit to Manor Green School

Apr 6
2 min read

SEND students at Maidenhead’s Manor Green School have been inspired by Paralympic gold medallist and Guinness World Record holder Naomi Riches MBE, who visited as part of an inclusive education programme delivered by local charity Absolutely Together.

Naomi Riches, who won gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games as part of the Great Britain rowing squad, spoke to students about overcoming adversity, building confidence and believing in their own potential.

Her visit formed part of Absolutely Together’s commitment to providing life-changing, accessible experiences for young people with additional needs.

Students had the opportunity to ask questions, hold her gold medal and hear how determination and perseverance shaped Naomi’s sporting success.

Claire Lovelock from Manor Green School commented:

“Naomi was excellent with our students and incredibly inspirational. All students had a wonderful time meeting her. They really enjoyed asking their individual questions, taking photos with her and listening to the inspiring stories of her achievements. Naomi was really friendly and down to earth – she made everyone feel at ease.

“The opportunity really helped to reinforce to our students that nothing can stop them achieving anything they want to.”

The visit formed part of a wider partnership between Absolutely Together and Manor Green School. The charity currently provides the school with free weekly accessible karting sessions at Absolutely Karting’s Maidenhead track, using twin-seat karts and a specialist hoist that enables students with mobility challenges to take part.

The school also regularly uses the charity’s accessible gym facilities at Absolutely Fitness for no cost. The activities are designed to broaden the school’s extracurricular offer and give young people experiences they would otherwise struggle to access.

David Brind, Community Development Director at Absolutely Together, said:

“Our mission is to remove barriers and give disabled young people the chance to enjoy the same confidence-building experiences as their peers. Seeing Manor Green students racing around the track or engaging with someone as inspiring as Naomi Riches shows exactly why this matters.

“These are the kind of experiences that Absolutely Together wants to create more of. Every SEND student deserves access to role models and to sport, and we’re actively looking for funding partners who share that vision and can help us reach more schools.”

Absolutely Together is looking to expand the initiative further, with plans to develop a wider programme of inspirational and inclusive experiences for SEND students across the region. Businesses and organisations that would like to support the activity can contact David Brind by emailing d.brind@absolutely-together.org.

Absolutely Together is the parent charity of a not-for-profit group of leisure venues: Absolutely Escapes, Absolutely Fitness, Absolutely Laser, Absolutely Karting, Little Hay Golf Complex and The XC. All profits go towards the Absolutely together charity.

Comments

Commenting on this post isn't available anymore. Contact the site owner for more info.

Click here for Home Page

Local disability support service awarded £5000 from The Cadbury Foundation

Local disability support service awarded £5,000 from The Cadbury Foundation Local disability support charity, Community Equality Disability Action (CEDA), has received a £5,000 donation from The Cadbury Foundation, thanks to the support of local Mondelez International employees in Crediton. CEDA, which is a Devon-based charity dedicated to promoting the social inclusion of people with physical, sensory or learning disabilities, was selected by employees based at Mondelez Inte

Michelle Jurd Trust - Cumbrian Children's Adventure Charity Transforms Approach to Fundraising

The Michelle Jurd Trust is a Cumbrian charity, founded in 2011 in memory of Michelle Jurd, a former RAF helicopter navigator, and mother of two young girls. Since then the charity has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds, which has been used to fund adventurous training and other developmental training for young people across the county. This has included supporting locals schools, funding canoeing trips and days at adventurous training centres, and buying equipment for t

PAW Patrol pups meet real-life Hero Hounds at exclusive preview of World of PAW Patrol at Chessington World of Adventures

Chessington World of Adventures welcomed real-life assistance dogs and the families they support for a special preview of the UK’s first and only PAW Patrol-themed land, opening to the public on Sunday 3 May 2026 The visit shone a light on the life-changing impact of assistance dogs and the charities behind them, while giving families an unforgettable day together in the World of PAW Patrol Celebrity mum Dani Dyer, alongside her children Santiago, Summer and Star, made the pr

Local air ambulance charity awarded £5,000 from The Cadbury Foundation

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity has received a £5,000 donation from The Cadbury Foundation, thanks to the support of local Mondelez International employees in Marlbrook. Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, which provides lifesaving emergency care to communities across the Midlands and surrounding counties, was selected by employees at Mondelez International’s Marlbrook site, as part of The Cadbury Foundation’s annual ‘Your Charity, Your Choice’ programme. Now in its fourteenth yea

2026 London Marathon runners set to raise record-breaking amount for charity via JustGiving

Already, more than £32million has been donated to over 14,000 fundraisers on JustGiving who are taking part in the world’s biggest single fundraising event. With less than one week to go until the TCS London Marathon 2026, runners on JustGiving are on track to break fundraising records. Already, more than £32million has been donated to over 14,000 fundraisers on JustGiving who are taking part in the world’s biggest single fundraising event. This year, the most common types of

Story Homes raises over £26,000 for charity partners

Story Homes raises over £26,000 for charity partners The Great North Air Ambulance Service and North West Air Ambulance Charity Following the success of the charity partnership, Story Homes announced that it will continue to support both GNAAS and NWAA for another 12 months. Staff from Story Homes’ regional offices and sites across Cumbria and Scotland, the North East and North West took part in a range of fundraising activities throughout the year, including charity golf d

Ordnance Survey announces 2 year charity partnership with Scope

Ordnance Survey announces Scope as its new charity partner for the next two years. The two-year partnership until 2028 will see both organisations partner each other to tackle digital exclusion experienced by disabled people. Ordnance Survey (OS) has chosen Scope as its new corporate charity partner to support its mission to grow digital inclusion in Britain. Working with disabled people, Scope is dedicated to driving change in society and creating an equal future for all. St

Blue Diamond Garden Centres announces Hospice UK as its Charity Partner of the Year

Blue Diamond Garden Centres have announced Hospice UK as its Charity Partner of the Year, marking a nationwide commitment to support vital end-of-life care. Across its 54 garden centres, Blue Diamond will roll out a year-long programme of fundraising initiatives, in-store activities and customer engagement campaigns, encouraging teams and visitors alike to get involved and make a difference. From seasonal events to point-of-sale donations, every centre will play a part in rai

Headway Thames Valley partners with electricity company SSEN to raise awareness of SSEN priority services

SSEN have launched a new charity partnership with a Thames Valley brain injury charity to raise awareness of the Priority Services SSEN offers to their more vulnerable customers. These provide free, practical assistance to SSEN customers who may need extra support during a power cut. Headway Thames Valley (HTV), which is based in Henley-on-Thames, is encouraging and helping people it supports to sign up for SSEN Priority Services by providing them with leaflets, online inform

E.ON Next confirms £75m of support distributed in 2025

E.ON Next distributed approximately £75 million of support to vulnerable customers last year. This announcement takes the total amount of support for E.ON Next customers to over £200 million over the last three years. E.ON Next’s commitment to help those most in need includes debt relief, access to grants, support credit for prepayment customers, donations to charity partners providing debt advice and, through the E.ON Next Energy Fund, the free replacement of inefficient whi

Financial Ombudsman Service announces new charity partnership with Dementia UK

Financial Ombudsman Service has announced Dementia UK as their new charity partner. Following a company-wide vote, Dementia UK – the UK’s specialist dementia nursing charity – has been chosen as the charity partner for the next 2 years. This charity partnership announcement follows the conclusion of support for Sands from 2024 to 2026. During this time, Financial Ombudsman Service raised over £53,000 to aid the charity’s vital work saving babies’ lives and supporting bereaved

Weston Park raises nearly £8,000 to boost air ambulance

A stately home on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border has raised nearly £8,000 for the Midlands Air Ambulance. Weston Park raised £7,885 for the air ambulance charity throughout 2025 after nominating it as its charity of the year. The stately home – which for the last two years has been home to the iconic Bike4Life charity fundraiser – said the final total reflected a mix of fundraising activity and gifts. Across the year, £1,390.22 was raised through fundraising, including o

Stonegate reaches first £50,000 milestone for CALM just 12 weeks into charity partnership

Stonegate Group has reached its first major fundraising milestone in its charity partnership with Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), raising an incredible £50,000 in just 12 weeks – an average of more than £4,000 every week – driven by fundraising efforts from colleagues, pub teams and guests across the UK. The milestone marks a powerful early start to the two-year partnership, which launched in January with the ambition of bringing suicide prevention into the heart of

Southend Airport announces Havens Hospices as their charity partner for 2026

London Southend Airport has announced Havens Hospices as its new official charity partner, following a staff-wide vote. London Southend Airport previously partnered with South East and Central Essex Mind for 5 years, raising over £50,000 in funds and awareness for mental health support across the region. Building on that strong legacy of community engagement, Southend Airport recently invited local charities to apply for its next long-term charity partnership opportunity. Aft

Introducing the seal-mobile: Nissan creates a special Qashqai e-POWER for marine rescue charity

Nissan provides a specially adapted Qashqai e-POWER, perfectly engineered to meet the demands of remote coastal rescue operations, to Caithness Seal Rehab and Release. The vehicle forms part of Nissan's 'e-POWERing Britain's Heroes' initiative, supporting UK charities that deliver essential services in challenging environments. Nissan has created a one-off, rescue-ready version of its best-selling Qashqai crossover for Caithness Seal Rehabilitation and Release, a busy coastal

New mural at Rugby station supports campaign to prevent men’s violence against women

The colourful artwork is part of Avanti West Coast's work with White Ribbon UK charity Rugby station mural created for community project to raise awareness of campaign to prevent men's violence against women and girls Colourful artwork designed by local artist highlights everyone has a role to play Installation is part of Avanti West Coast’s work with White Ribbon UK charity A mural in support of a national campaign to prevent men's violence against women and girl

Greene King doubles the number of carefree respite breaks for unpaid carers in 2025

Greene King has doubled the number of free respite breaks it has provided to unpaid carers over the past year, delivering 339 short stays in a selection of its hotels through its charity partnership with Carefree. Greene King has worked with Carefree to make rooms available, so that unpaid carers can access much-needed breaks at a time and location that suits them. The number of stays provided in the last year is double the amount taken in 2024, highlighting growing demand fo

Doors 2 Floors Wins Prestigious Corporate Social Responsibility Award

A national Doors retailer has been honoured with a prestigious global award for its acclaimed Social Responsibility Programme. Ismaeel Basar, MD of Doors2Floors.co.uk along with owner, Shiraz Karolia will be attending the presentation ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral, London on June 1 to receive the International Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Excellence Award as part of the International CSR Excellence Awards, which honour and celebrate organisations that incorporate e

Admiral Group and Save the Children announce new three-year £1m charity partnership

Admiral Group have announced a charity partnership with Save the Children UK in a new three-year, £1 million commitment to support children and families in Wales and strengthen communities facing poverty and climate-related emergencies. The charity partnership will support Save the Children’s work in Wales and globally by listening to children’s voices, backing community-led solutions, and providing practical help for families when emergencies hit. The work in the UK will foc

RNLI and TransPennine Express (TPE) volunteers raise money at Scarborough Station

A group of volunteers from TransPennine Express (TPE) and RNLI took to Scarborough station over the bank holiday weekend to fundraise for the lifeboat charity. TPE announced its charity partnership with RNLI last year, as well as with two other lifeboat charities – St Abbs Lifeboat and Humber Rescue. The charity partnerships bring together organisations committed to safety, on land and at sea, and will focus on supporting coastal communities, delivering lifesaving safety mes

Acrisure Nottingham Announces 2026 Charity of the Year as Local Baby Loss Football Team

Acrisure Nottingham, formerly Russell Scanlan, has announced its 2026 Charity of the Year as Sands United FC Nottingham. Acrisure colleagues at Grove House in West Bridgford will dedicate a year of fundraising to the local football team, made up of fathers and family members, impacted by baby loss. Driven by Local Charity Committee Co-Chairs Joanne Marriott, Commercial Broking Director at Acrisure UK Broking and Sharron Torr, Private Client Manager, staff are set to get invol

Paralympic champion inspires students during visit to Manor Green School

Paralympic champion inspires students during visit to Manor Green School SEND students at Maidenhead’s Manor Green School have been inspired by Paralympic gold medallist and Guinness World Record holder Naomi Riches MBE, who visited as part of an inclusive education programme delivered by local charity Absolutely Together. Naomi Riches, who won gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games as part of the Great Britain rowing squad, spoke to students about overcoming adversity, bui

Proper Pubs collects over 21,619 Easter eggs to donate to local communities across the UK

Proper Pubs – the award-winning community wet-led operator division of Admiral Taverns, which operates more than 200 pubs across England, Scotland and Wales – has successfully collected 21, 619 chocolate Easter eggs, exceeding last year’s total of 20,500, to donate to local communities and groups in need across the UK. The Easter eggs have been collected by both pub customers and local residents and have been donated to a wide range of deserving community initiatives and ch

St Mungo’s and The DPS Celebrate Raising £1 Million to Help End Homelessness

St Mungo’s and The DPS Celebrate Raising £1 Million to Help End Homelessness This donation, facilitated by The Deposit Protection Service (DPS), allows St Mungo’s to run a wide range of services, which are there for people every step of the way as they rebuild their lives from homelessness The funds come at a critical time, with the number of people rough sleeping in England currently at a record high after four successive years of increases St Mungo’s homelessness servi

Dobbies Raises £235,000 for Alzheimer's Research UK

Dobbies Garden Centres today announces the outstanding success of the first year of its national charity partnership with Alzheimer’s Research UK, having raised £235,000 – more than triple the original fundraising target. Launched in March 2025, the charity was chosen for its strong resonance with Dobbies’ communities, customers and colleagues. The partnership also supports Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Think Brain Health campaign, highlighting the benefits of gardening and

Prostate Cancer UK named official charity partner of the c2c Essex Ultra Marathon 2026

Local rail operator c2c Railway has today announced that Prostate Cancer UK has been nominated as its official charity partner for the third annual c2c Essex Ultra Marathon which takes place this September. c2c has announced that Prostate Cancer, the UK charity whose aim is to save men’s lives by improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and support for prostate cancer, is the official charity partner of this year’s c2c Essex Ultra Marathon. Registrations are now open for

Road safety charity offers fully funded skills days to young drivers and riders

Young drivers and riders can sharpen their skills and stay safe at a road safety event at Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire. IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s leading road safety charity, is offering 80 fully funded places, 40 for young drivers and 40 for young riders, over two days in August. One day is dedicated to inexperienced drivers, and the other to inexperienced riders, giving participants the chance to develop new skills they can safely apply on public roads. The events are designed

Chiltern Railways hosts Railway Children Sleepout at London Marylebone Station

For the second year running, railway colleagues took part in an overnight sleepout at London Marylebone Station to raise funds for the charity Railway Children. This year’s refreshed and rebranded event invited railway colleagues to once again swap their warm beds for the cold station floor for just one night as part of the newly named “Railway Children Night At The Station” . By signing up, participants committed to raising at least £100 for Railway Children’s crucial cause,

Unity Trust Bank’s record year of lending sees support for charities more than double

Unity Trust Bank’s charity banking customers benefitted from loans totalling £11.9million, with nearly half of sector lending committed to customers operating in areas of high deprivation. Twenty-five loans to 14 charities helped support a range of services and activities for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. These included older people, people living in poverty and/or financial exclusion, vulnerable children, people with addiction issues and homelessness. The social impac

c2c and the Mayor of Southend launch new Gold Geese Lounge at Westcliff station

Local rail operator c2c Railway, together with the Mayor of Southend, Councillor Nigel Folkard have today launched a new Gold Geese-themed Lounge at Westcliff station. c2c and the Mayor of Southend have this morning launched a brand-new Gold Geese-themed waiting lounge on platform 1 at Westcliff station. The refreshed customer waiting area, now fondly referred to as the ‘Gold Geese Lounge’, is painted in the instantly recognisable Gold Geese yellow, reaffirming c2c’s long-sta

bp and the Retail Trust extend charity partnership to improve wellbeing support across retail sector

bp and the Retail Trust extend charity partnership to improve wellbeing support across the retail sector bp is the first retailer ever to sign up to the Retail Trust’s services for five years and the renewed charity partnership will support the next phase of its work with the charity, with funding contributing to new digital support for retail workers across the UK. bp became the first forecourt retailer to join forces with the charity in 2023 and make the Retail Trust’s wel

Leadership in every mile and running the London Marathon for E.ON charity partner, Mind

As part of E.ON’s ongoing partnership with Mind, Benedict is taking on the iconic London Marathon to support the charity’s work helping people experiencing mental health challenges across the UK. Benedict Kimpton, Director of Digital Common Services and an E.ON Mind ambassador, is preparing to run the London Marathon to raise funds and awareness for mental health charity Mind. The challenge comes as E.ON and its colleagues celebrate raising more than £500,000 for Mind, helpi

Ecommpay charity auction smashed target to raise more than €7,200 for Street Child

Ecommpay charity auction smashed target to raise more than €7,200 for Street Child Second colleague-driven fundraising event helps families in low-income and disaster-affected countries Inclusive global payments platform, Ecommpay, is proud to announce the success of its annual Charity Auction. The colleague-powered initiative raised vital funds for Street Child, an international organisation helping children access education and safety in some of the world’s most vulnerable

Siemens extends charity partnership with Samaritans contributing over £38,000

Siemens extends partnership with Samaritans, contributing over £38,000 and improving mental health support across Britain The company’s charity partnership extension with Samaritans reinforces its commitment to supporting mental health initiatives in local communities. Siemens Mobility has raised £38,200 for Samaritans to date through corporate donations and employee fundraising. Employees have also logged 109 volunteering hours alongside fundraising activities. S

Inflexion Foundation strengthens long term charity partnerships

The Inflexion Foundation has announced a series of new funding commitments to charity partners focused on improving life chances for young people and protecting the environment. The Inflexion Foundation is building on a number of long standing relationship: Roundhouse: £340,000 over three years, to continue to support empower young people into with life-changing opportunities through creativity, delivered through an iconic music and arts venue. The King’s Trust: £150

Sign up to receive Partnerships News via email

Comments

Local disability support service awarded £5000 from The Cadbury Foundation

Michelle Jurd Trust - Cumbrian Children's Adventure Charity Transforms Approach to Fundraising

PAW Patrol pups meet real-life Hero Hounds at exclusive preview of World of PAW Patrol at Chessington World of Adventures

Local air ambulance charity awarded £5,000 from The Cadbury Foundation

2026 London Marathon runners set to raise record-breaking amount for charity via JustGiving

Story Homes raises over £26,000 for charity partners

Ordnance Survey announces 2 year charity partnership with Scope

Blue Diamond Garden Centres announces Hospice UK as its Charity Partner of the Year

Headway Thames Valley partners with electricity company SSEN to raise awareness of SSEN priority services

E.ON Next confirms £75m of support distributed in 2025

Financial Ombudsman Service announces new charity partnership with Dementia UK

Weston Park raises nearly £8,000 to boost air ambulance

Stonegate reaches first £50,000 milestone for CALM just 12 weeks into charity partnership

Southend Airport announces Havens Hospices as their charity partner for 2026

Introducing the seal-mobile: Nissan creates a special Qashqai e-POWER for marine rescue charity

New mural at Rugby station supports campaign to prevent men’s violence against women

Greene King doubles the number of carefree respite breaks for unpaid carers in 2025

Doors 2 Floors Wins Prestigious Corporate Social Responsibility Award

Admiral Group and Save the Children announce new three-year £1m charity partnership

RNLI and TransPennine Express (TPE) volunteers raise money at Scarborough Station

Acrisure Nottingham Announces 2026 Charity of the Year as Local Baby Loss Football Team

Paralympic champion inspires students during visit to Manor Green School

Proper Pubs collects over 21,619 Easter eggs to donate to local communities across the UK

St Mungo’s and The DPS Celebrate Raising £1 Million to Help End Homelessness

Dobbies Raises £235,000 for Alzheimer's Research UK

Prostate Cancer UK named official charity partner of the c2c Essex Ultra Marathon 2026

Road safety charity offers fully funded skills days to young drivers and riders

Chiltern Railways hosts Railway Children Sleepout at London Marylebone Station

Unity Trust Bank’s record year of lending sees support for charities more than double

c2c and the Mayor of Southend launch new Gold Geese Lounge at Westcliff station

bp and the Retail Trust extend charity partnership to improve wellbeing support across retail sector

Leadership in every mile and running the London Marathon for E.ON charity partner, Mind

Ecommpay charity auction smashed target to raise more than €7,200 for Street Child

Siemens extends charity partnership with Samaritans contributing over £38,000

Inflexion Foundation strengthens long term charity partnerships

Search By Tags