GETTING out and about at break time has become easier for disabled pupils following a community project led by a team of volunteers from gas distribution company SGN.

An uneven pathway around the school grounds made it difficult for pupils in wheelchairs at Woodlands Meed, a special needs school in Burgess Hill, to get out into the fresh air at break times.

When they heard about this, an eight-strong team from SGN’s Sussex depot enlisted the help of four volunteers from their contractor Cappagh to lay a new pathway.

The volunteers also rolled up their sleeves to tidy the school grounds, clearing 30 giant rubbish bags full of leaves, brambles and bracken – enough to fill an extra large skip.

The idea for helping out at the school came from Steve Hands, a Connections team manager at SGN’s depot in Horsham, whose son is a pupil there.

Steve said: “He’s been at the school for a year now and staff there have helped him tremendously.

“It was the perfect opportunity, with the help of Cappagh and my other colleagues, to be able to give something back to them.”

Business performance manager Kristina Brown was one of those who accompanied Steve on the day.

She said: “We had a great day and the weather was kind to us. After clearing at least thirty huge bags of leaves we were all worn out.

“It was such a great team effort.”