Lynda Bellingham presents Spa School with Lord’s Taverners minibus

Youth sports charity The Lord's Taverners donates dozens of minibuses each year to organisations such as Spa School.

Spa School in Monnow Road is a secondary school for young people with Autism and Asperger syndrome. Many of the students have extremely complex needs and challenging behaviour.

One of Spa School's aims is for its students to be able to live as independently as possible in the future. With this is mind the school provides as many out-of-school leisure and sports activities as possible.

"We believe that sport and recreation are essential for all young people, particularly those with special needs," says Matthew Patten, chief executive of The Lord's Taverners,

"This minibus will help the Spa School pupils get out and enjoy new places and experiences. We are proud to support the staff, parents and young people of Spa School.

Lynda Bellingham joined Tony Matharu, chairman of The Lord's Taverners City Region, Simon Eccles, headmaster of Spa School, and Andrew Panter, master of the Worshipful Company of Paviors, at the presentation outside St Pauk's Cathedral last month

The 16-seat wheelchair-accessible minibus, costing £30,000, was presented to Spa School in recognition of the funds raised for The Lord's Taverners by the Paviors.

Christopher Laing, trustee of The Lord's Taverners, was master of the Paviors in 2008 and raised more than £20,000 during his term of office.