Lions provide ‘amazing lifeline’ for St Kieran’s NS with bus
THERE was great excitement at St Kieran’s school in Bray recently when they received a brand new bus courtesy of Lions Ireland and Bray Lions Club.
The organisation recently raised €7,000 for St Kieran’s. The vehicle will be used to bring the children to and from school.
Principal Caroline Kennedy said that they were delighted with the donation.
‘Our old school bus broke down unexpectedly and it just wasn’t in the budget,’ she said.
She said that the bus is absolutely vital. It’s part of the school run process and is also used for trip, outings and the annual overnight trip with the senior children. ‘ That wouldn’t be possible without the bus,’ she said.
Ms Kennedy said that the bus is instrumental in getting children to and from school and that it provides flexibility if a child moves.
There are 64 pupils at St Kieran’s, as well as a pre-school. Around 70 per cent of the children would commute, using both the school’s own bus and a CIE service.
Ms Kennedy said that Deputy Principal Sarah Hickey was instrumental in liaising with the Lions. She said that while they had pledged to support St Kieran’s, this was a very unexpected expense. ‘ They threw us an amazing lifeline,’ she said. ‘We were hoping to get another couple of years out of the bus we had.’
Robert Mac Clancy of Bray Lions said that the money was accessed through the national An Post fund, which is provided as Lions provide research services to An Post.