Please help Sarah finish her course (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Please help Sarah finish her course

A DISABLED woman studying at Cirencester College is hoping Standard readers will rally round and help her achieve her ambition of finishing her course.

Sarah Aydon is studying for performing arts at Cirencester College where a significant part of her course involves a field trip to study the business behind EuroDisney.

Each student has to pay their own way for the four-day trip and Sarah has already raised her own fare.

However, Sarah suffers cerebral palsy and she requires 24-hour care. To take part in the trip means the 24-year-old also has to pay £750 for two carers to travel with her.

"If she cannot find the money for her carers she will not be able to take part in the trip jeopardising her chance of completing the course.

She explained: It's a very big part of my course to go to EuroDisney and I will have to do a lot of work on it when I get6 back.

"I'm the only disabled person on the course and the only one not going at the moment. It would be really good for me to go and I think it would be quite a big step forward for disabled people.

"I can afford to pay for myself to go but I can't afford to pay for a carer because I need 24-hour assistance.

"We go in four weeks so time is really running out."

Sarah first started studying performing arts at the National Star College in Ullenwood where she achieved the highest grade in her class.

"My tutors thought it would be good for me to study in a mainstream environment," Sarah added. "I found it really difficult to adjust in my first term but I have really settled in and I'm really enjoying learning with mainstream students.

"The trip will also give me the opportunity to spend time with my friends from Cirencester outside of a college environment."

Course tutor Catherine Halder was also quick to praise Sarah's progress since starting the BTEC National Diploma course.

She said: "This part of the course is about exploring entertainment organisations, how they function, how they are financially managed and what they offer the general public.

"It's an enjoyable trip and a good bonding experience for all the members on the course. But there is a hefty amount of work before, during and after the trip.

"Sarah is a really good student and has flourished since starting the course and has integrated really well with the other students.

"One of her great strengths is her writing. She has a very dry sense of humour and a very mature approach to her written work. Her lovely sense of humour is also carried over into her performance work."

Standard editor Skip Walker hopes that Sarah's plight and her determination will touch the hearts of readers.

She said: "The people of the Cotswolds are well known for their generousity and compassion and I really hope that they feel able to support Sarah who has done so much already to help herself and whose personal achievement have been quite remarkable."

If every reader donates just £1 to support Sarah in her bid to go to EuroDisney, the £750 will be raised in a couple of days.

Anyone who feels able to support the appeal can drop £1 in at the Standard office in Dyer Street, Cirencester, or post it to EuroDisney Appeal, 74 Dyer Street, Cirencester, GL7 2PW.