CHILDCARE students at Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone have been given an award after they raised £2,000 to buy a specialist bike for children with learning difficulties.

The students, from Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone, made links with Pen-y-Cwm School in Ebbw Vale which caters for children with learning difficulties and decided they wanted to buy a specially adapted bike called a "Tomcat" for the pupils.

Bag packing at supermarkets, a sponsored walk, a Christmas fayre and donations were all ways the level three students raised the total amount of £2,000 to buy the bike. The students also held a "Pound for Pen-y-Cwm Day" which helped to raise the funds.

Thanks to their work, the Pen-y-Cwm pupils now use the specialist bike which is designed for children who have a range of additional needs from epilepsy to mobility difficulties.

The fundraising students were then awarded a Coleg Gwent Community Partnership Award and Certificate of Excellence for their work with the school.

Childcare lecturer Rebecca Chislett said: “We are incredibly proud of each student for their hard work, determination, enthusiasm and consideration that they demonstrated towards such a great cause

“The process has not only created fantastic links within our local community, it has developed the students’ knowledge in the area of special educational needs and enhanced their future employment skills.”