A SPECIAL school has been boosted by £6,000 to help it establish a communication centre.

The Percy Hedley Foundation, based at Forest Hall, Newcastle, which has pupils from throughout the region, has received the sum from the energy firm npower.

It will fund voice communication equipment for a dedicated centre for children with cerebral palsy and speech and language difficulties.

The foundation is a non-Government-maintained special school, which provides an integrated approach to teaching and therapy. It helps more than 200 children with cerebral palsy a year.

The school caters for toddlers to teenagers, offering boarding and respite provisions.

Npower donated the money after receiving a letter from Des Bustard, appeals director at the Percy Hedley Foundation.

Mr Bustard said: "Voice output communication aids have helped many students at the school by providing them with a way of communicating with their families, friends, and teaching staff, which they would be unable to do otherwise.

"Some students need systems which support or augment speech, whereas others, who don't have the potential for speech, need systems which provide alternative communication. The donation from npower has enabled us to extend our range of communication aids, so that we can more accurately assess which is the most appropriate for different students."

Gary Doig, npower's North-East community relations officer, said: "When Des told us about the work the foundation does, we were keen to lend our support."

As part of an appeal to mark the school's 50th anniversary, ex-pupil Paul Hodgson, from Darlington, will embark on a sponsored wheel- chair push from Darlington to York.