Newbury College GCSE student Barnaby Lister has recently become a Young Ambassador for Variety, the Children's Charity. On his first birthday Barnaby was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects movement and coordination. Variety has provided support for Barnaby through the donation of an expensive light-weight wheelchair to help ease mobility.
As an ambassador for the charity, Barnaby will help to promote the work of the organisation. The charity recently created a short promotional video about a day in the life' of Barnaby in which they visited the College's Monks Lane campus to film. The video was used at the fifth Variety the PROPS breakfast to raise awareness of what the charity does; an event in which it raised over £60,000 in the space of an hour and a half. The video can be found on the charity's website www.variety.org.uk
Speaking of becoming an ambassador Barnaby said, It's a great honour and I'm really looking forward to representing the organisation at future events. I chose to come to Newbury College so that I could further my education with a range of different subjects. At College I have more freedom to do what I want to do and that helps me learn better.
Inaugurated in 1949, Variety, the Children's Charity, is one of the UK's oldest charities founded especially for children and young people. The charity improves the lives of young people by providing practical help such as Sunshine Coaches, wheelchairs, specialist equipment and memorable childhood experiences which allow them independence, freedom and dignity to make the most of their childhood.