A CASH boost of £10,000 raised by a sponsored penny farthing ride, has paid for a new sensory room at Jigaw School for children on the autistic spectrum.

Neil Melville-Rae (pictured far right), a member and sponsor of The Penny Farthing Club, took on the challenge of raising £10,000 by cycling his penny farthing from Marble Arch in London to the Arc d’Triomphe in Paris to raise money specifically for a new sensory room at the school based at Dunsfold Park.

Neil returned to Jigsaw to enjoy the new facility with staff and pupils.

Boasting a fibre-optic tunnel, projectors, a music system, bubble wall, tactile wall displays and twinkling LEDs, the ‘Melville-Rae Sensory Room’, was also made possible by current and former Jigsaw teachers Hayley Wadham and Liz Ruff, when they took part in the Brighton Marathon.

Jigsaw’s director of education Emma Hawkins said: “Our sensory room has always been a firm favourite for our pupils but because it gets so well used it was in real need of refurbishment and an upgrade.

“Thanks to the fundraising efforts of Neil, Hayley and Liz, our pupils will now be able to enjoy time in this fabulous new facility for many years to come.”