Mitchell's Island Public School students celebrated receiving a new Sunshine Coach from Variety - the Children's Charity NSW/ACT at a special morning tea on Wednesday, May 26.
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The coach has been provided under a community grant offered by Variety to support kids in need and to ensure all kids have the same opportunities in life.
Mitchells Island Public School has in the past relied on parents to transport children to and from school, as well as hiring buses - for an exorbitant cost - for all activities and excursions.
Mitchells Island Public School principal, Michelle Wilson, said the new bus will take the pressure off local families who have experienced financial hardship in recent times.
"Our families have been through a lot lately - drought, fires and then floods," Mrs Wilson said.
"We have a few families who lost everything in the recent floods so some of our students have been doing it really tough.
"The new coach will help should we ever have to evacuate the students quickly and safely in those emergency situations.
"It also means we can access local sporting venues, cultural performances and community activities to give our kids the chance to participate in all there is to offer outside the school gate." Mrs Wilson said.
Variety acting general manager, David Small, said the Sunshine Coaches are what Variety is all about - making sure kids, no matter where they live, don't miss out.
"Variety can't wait to see what the students at Mitchells Island Public School can achieve now they can get out and about with their new wheels," he said.
The bus was purchased with $75,000 funding from the Variety grant, as well as $75,000 grant funding provided by the NSW government under the Stronger Country Communities Program.
