Aycliffe School

Brandon's Alpaca Adventure

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Brandon’s Alpaca Adventure

When Brandon raised £210 for Aycliffe School by taking part in the North East Autism Society’s Walk for Acceptance, he already had a plan for how he would like the school to use the money.

Brandon approached school Principal Kirsty Carr to ask that the money could be put towards an alpaca walk for him and his classmates. Kirsty agreed, but gave Brandon another challenge that would need his fundraising skills – to raise the extra money the trip would require.

Feeling excited about the challenge, but anxious for the trip to happen as soon as possible, Brandon got stuck in by organising a tombola, a bake sale, and selling bacon sandwiches.

Through his fundraising efforts, Brandon raised an additional £221 so the alpaca walk could go ahead, but there was still some more work ahead for the pupils to do.

Before the trip could happen, Brandon and his classmates got involved in the planning process, visiting the Teesdale Alpacas farm to meet the staff, find out what they could expect from their visit, and carry out all the necessary health and safety checks.

Once the planning process was complete, Brandon could then focus on enjoying some quality time with the alpacas. Unfortunately, in typical British fashion, the weather had other ideas and heavy rain meant that the first planned visit had to be postponed.

Thankfully there wasn’t a long delay, and the visit was rescheduled for the following week, when Brandon and his classmates finally got the chance to meet the alpacas Ruddy, Sammy, Quartz, Hercules, Applerick and Henry.

Pupils enjoyed a brilliant trip, learning all about the alpacas before taking them for a walk.

Kristina Yale, Level 4 Teaching Assistant at Aycliffe School, said: “The students got a lot out of the trip. It was great to see them out of their normal learning environment and doing something completely new.”

She added: “Sam and Doug from Teesdale Alpacas were warm and welcoming, adapting their approach to the needs of each pupil.”

When asked about what Brandon has planned next. He replied that he’s not sure yet, but there are plenty of exciting things in the pipeline.

Kirsty Carr, Principal at Aycliffe School, said: “We are proud of Brandon and the progress he has made since he came to Aycliffe School, this is demonstrated in this fantastic achievement. Brandon is thoughtful and thinks of others.”