A GROUP of staff and students of an Andover school is taking part in a 24-hour bike ride challenge to raise money for children with special needs.

The group from Joh Hanson Community School is raising funds for 18-year-old Jasmine Allen and nine other students from Icknield special needs school who are going to do further education at Andover College.

Jasmine is 18 years old and has attended Icknield special needs school in Andover for all her school life.

Jasmine has Rett Syndrome (a genetic disorder) and has various other physical disabilities. She needs constant 1:1 care.

A very happy girl, Jasmine is now ready to take the next stage of her journey through leaving school and accessing college.

The money raised from the bike challenge will go to buying specialist equipment for a new independent living course at Andover College.

Amae Smith, the deputy head girl at Joh Hanson Community School who is participating in the challenge, told the Advertiser: “All the money they raise will go to ensuring that the course is as successful as possible for these young people.”

The gofundme page set up to raise funds for the challenge has so far collected £950 as of Saturday (August 7). But the students are aiming to collect £10,000, which means they still need huge support from the public.

The students are planning to conduct the biking challenge on Thursday, September 30.

Four teams of John Hanson staff and students consisting of three members each (one male staff team, one female staff team, one male student team, and one female student team) will be taking part in a 24-hour bike ride to raise money for “Jazzie’s Journey”.

The teams will set off virtually from John Hanson to Minehead, before riding a loop of the South West, reaching milestones of Jazzie’s favourite holiday destinations such as Croyde Bay, Polzeath and St Ives.

You can visit the gofundme page at www.gofundme.com/f/john-hanson-24-bike-ride-jazzies-journey