Local charity in a spin after receiving over £4 000 from Gatwick Express

WKDS's Andrea Thorne accepts the cheque from Gatwick Express Team Leader, Peter Taggart

Staff at Worthing charity, Worthing Kids and Dapper Snapper (WKDS) were overjoyed recently to receive a donation of over £4,000 raised by Gatwick Express passengers and Gatwick Express staff.

The funds were collected from Gatwick station's money spinner, which collects loose change or left over holiday money from passengers as they pass through the station and from Gatwick Express staff who donated money that passengers have given as tips for their help. After four months of collecting, the change and foreign currency inside the box, and the staff donations totalled over £4,000.

Gatwick Express Team Leader, Peter Taggart suggested that the money be donated to GTR's local corporate charity WKDS.

WKDS Trustee, Andrea Thorne said: "Please accept our heartfelt thanks for the incredible donation that Gatwick Express made to WKDS with the money from the charity collection bin from the station. The money will benefit our children that we support, in so many ways. None of what we do could be possible without funding. The committee works really hard on top of our activities to put on fund raising events, so when a company like Gatwick Express makes such a generous donation it really does help in so many ways."

WKDS was chosen by staff as the company's corporate charity as part of the last GTR employee survey. Since then, two GTR charity weeks have seen our staff come together to raise funds for this very good cause. A donation from GTR from the employees survey together with the two fundraising weeks and the efforts of the Gatwick Express staff means that over £10,000 has been donated to WKDS.

About WKDS - putting the ability into disability

WKDS is a charitable organisation representing a large group of parents all have whom have a child with special needs of varying ages. It runs a swimming club for children with additional needs who get to experience freedom in the water that they can't experience otherwise. A youth club benefits its older children and enables them to participate in a variety of activities with other children. They also experience short stays away at residential activity centres, giving them independence whilst having fun. Its Saturday club provides activities for children of all ages but also gives valuable advice and information to parents from guest speakers. And during the year it holds parties where all the children can come together with their siblings and just have fun whilst the parents can relax and chat to other families coping with similar issues, providing a vital support network for all.

Find out more at http://wkds.org/wkds/