Ysgol y Deri: Equipment worth thousands stolen from special needs school

Paddleboards, along with wetsuits and other kit were stolen from Ysgol y Deri

A special needs school is appealing for help after thousands of pounds worth of equipment was stolen.

Ysgol y Deri in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, had surf boards, wetsuits and other kit stolen.

Water activity lessons help pupils to relax, build confidence and ease their anxiety, said the school.

Upon learning of the theft, 13-year-old Sonny said: "I was really disheartened and upset and I was really angry and sad at the same time."

Layla-Mae says the theft was a shock to the whole school

"It was calm and relaxing and when you see those waves coming you get really excited and I guess it helped with anxiety.

"I've got really bad anxiety and when I'm out there, it all goes as I'm focussed on catching waves," added Sonny, a keen surfer.

Fellow pupil Layla-Mae, 13, said: "It's one of those things that you do where it's so quiet and it's peaceful and it's the atmosphere of it," she said.

"If you get onto that water, you're doing something for yourself for a change and you're not worrying about anything.

"It makes me feel less worried that everything would be ok."

Sonny, 13, loves surfing as it helped him relax and deal with his anxiety

She added the theft was a shock but still hoped the kit would be returned.

Staff said they were "gutted" to learn the equipment, bought with donations and fundraising, had been taken.

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Dan Willmore, from the school's Pupil Support Intervention Team, said "it was a bit of a shock" when he was told on Monday morning about the break-in.

The special needs school had fundraised for the equipment

"Physically and emotionally, they're invested in surfing and paddleboarding. For some of the pupils, it's their main intervention," he said.

"Whether it's surfing or stand up paddleboarding, it helps them to build relationships and trust."

Mr Willmore took children onto the water several times a week but said the stand up paddleboards were so new, they had never been used.

He is hopeful that because they are quite rare, they will be easy to trace.

"The kids helped unpack them. They put the kit together. By doing that, they feel the need to take care of it."

The stand up paddleboards had never been used

Much of the equipment was bought after charitable fundraising by the school and donations from local surf companies, but Mr Willmore also paddleboarded the length of the coast of south Wales to raise funds.

The school has appealed for help to find the equipment on social media.

South Wales Police said it was "appalled" by the theft.

"We know how much the pupils at Ysgol Y Deri love to surf and paddleboard and we are doing all we can to identify those responsible," the force added.

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