A Monmouth school student has managed to raise more than £3,000 for his school’s charity by cycling 43 miles around Monmouthshire.

Arran Parker attends the Specialist Resource Base at Overmonnow primary school, and cycled 43 miles on the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal on August 6 2022 to raise money for the school’s charity ‘Meeting the Needs’.

A registered charity, ‘Meeting the Needs’ was formed in 1999 to support the pupils of Overmonnow Specialist Resource Base (SRB).

Pupils in the SRB have complex additional learning needs including Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD).

The SRB offers an environment appropriate to the needs of the pupils, who require a different approach to their learning and the use of specialist approaches.

Arran and his family took part in the bike ride to raise money to help fund new outdoor learning resources for pupils in the SRB, with it being the second bike ride Arran and his family have completed for the charity and school.

Arran and his dad Colin presented a cheque for £3,270 to staff and pupils of Overmonnow Specialist Resource Base on Friday September 16.

Jayne Whittington, lead teacher at Overmonnow and Deri View Specialist Resource Base thanked Arran and his family for taking part in the bike ride and said they were extremely grateful for their support.

Colin Parker and ‘Meeting the Needs’ charity would like to say a big thank you to Paul Jarrold Tyres of Monmouth who very kindly donated a van for the day to transport the bikes, and local businessman Mike Vale-Jenkins who kindly volunteered to drive the van for the day.