A SPECIAL school is taking to the waters in style - thanks to fund-raisers.

They have raised £23,000 for a hoist for the special school swimming pool, which includes a £5,000 grant from the North West Lady Taverners.

The project, at Dame Evelyn Fox Special School, Blackburn, includes modification to the pool, a shower bed and chassis, a shower chair and chassis - both connected to the hoist - so that severely disabled children can be lowered into the pool in both safety and comfort.

This will enable 50 students at the school, aged five to 19, to use the pool safely.

The North West Lady Taverners, who have been running for 10 years, have raised cash for disabled children throughout the year through various events such as lunches, fashion shows, and golf days.

Mrs Helen Bowker, Chairman, of the Taverners, said: "I read about Stuart Ripley launching an appeal in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph 12 months ago to raise money for a pool hoist at Dame Evelyn Fox School.

"So I contacted the school and told them they could approach us for a grant.

Mrs Joan Halsall, deputy head teacher at Dame Evelyn Fox School, said: "I am pleased to say that now any child, regardless of their disability, can have access to the pool.

"We didn't expect to have the hoist at the pool until the Millennium, but we have managed to raise the funds in just 12 months."

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