Applefields School in York; gift in memory of Mary Gray

Mary Gray was grandma of Lawrence Stoakes a pupil at Applefields School the city’s special secondary school in Bad Bargain Lane, Burnholme.

Mary died in December 2022 and her daughter, Lawrence's mum, Lucy Stoakes, kindly gifted an amount of money in memory of her mother, who regularly visited the cafe at Applefields.

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The school was rated good by Ofsted when it was last inspected back in 2019 and at that time it had 151 pupils aged 11-19 with a satellite at Manor CE Academy as well as a college facitlity at Askham Bryan.

Applefields uses a wealth of sensory resources and activities to assist pupils in their learning and regulation and the donated money has already been put to good use.

They've used it to buy a large planter for the sensory garden area, some musical instruments and a hammock, with some funds left over to invest in an ipad for use in a sensory regulation activity that is specific to pupil needs. 

Lawrence Stoakes with the planter and the plaque to his Grandma Mary (Image: Supplied)

Mary Gray with her daughter, Lucy Stoakes (Image: Supplied)

A school spokesman said: "Donations of this kind are so valuable to a setting like Applefields, where most of the resources needed come at great expense so the school is extremely pleased and grateful that they were able to use this donation for the benefit of all the pupils of Applefields.

"We would like to thank Lucy and her family for considering our amazing school for the donation." 

Mary Gray with her grandson, Lawrence Stoakes (Image: Supplied)

A plaque in the planter reads: 'In Loving Memory of Mary Gray 
'The first snowdrop, the flowering of the rose you pruned , lettuce you grew from seed, the Robin singing just for you, these are all small things but positive .
By
Monty Don , BBC Gardeners' World'

Applefields pupils with the finished planter (Image: Supplied)