Lib Dem Peer and Watford Mayor visit Abbots Langley school

A Liberal Democrat peer, who is also the president of an autism charity and the Mayor of Watford visited Abbots Langley learning disability school today (February 13). Lord Timothy Clement-Jones, the President of Ambitious About Autism and Mayor Dorothy Thornhill, visited Breakspeare School on Gallows Hill Lane. The day school caters for 75 students, aged between three and 19, with severe learning difficulties and some with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD); a high percentage of pupils come under the autism umbrella. Head teacher Merja Paakkone highlighted the outstanding service the staff provide and mentioned the need to improve the out dated building to bring the facilities up to the 21st century. Mayor Thornhill praised the school for the level of care it provided within the old building. She said: “They do a marvellous job, they use what we have and they don’t moan. The equipment they have is incredible.” Lord Clement-Jones said: “The atmosphere is lovely, others can be a bit tense, and even though they face many challenges they aren’t tense. It is an old fashioned space but there is quite a lot of play space. “It was nice to see the fantastic commitment of the staff.” To find out more read the March edition of My Abbots News. Pictures courtesy of Hoss Photography by Leigh Smith