LIFE-changing therapy equipment has been donated to children in Moldova, thanks to the generosity of schools in west Dorset.

Mountjoy School, Beaminster, has made a large donation of equipment to a care home in Moldova which was partially funded and opened by comedian Tony Hawks in 2000.

Hawks donated half the royalties from his book Playing the Moldovans at Tennis to a trust fund for the country which was used to open The Tony Hawks Centre, a medical centre that provides rehabilitative therapy for disabled children from socially vulnerable families. Proceeds from the film version of his book also went to the centre.

The centre describes its mission as ‘to improve the health of children with chronic conditions who are living in socially vulnerable families.’ The centre providing free consultations and medical rehabilitation services to children up to the age of 15 who have chronic illnesses of the neuro-muscular, cardio-vascular or respiratory system. The centre also teaches parents and carers of children with chronic conditions to help their child live a more comprehensive life and integrate into society.

Mountjoy collected redundant therapy equipment from schools and organisations around the county - bespoke pieces of equipment which often end up in landfill.

A family also donated several pieces of equipment when they heard what Mountjoy was doing. Items donated included wheelchairs, standing frames, hoists, changing tables, specialist beds and therapy equipment.

Mountjoy School caters for children with a range of complex needs.

Headteacher, Jackie Shanks, said: “The Tony Hawks Centre is providing much-needed care and support to children in Moldova who are disabled.

“We are only too please to support them in their continuing efforts to develop new services, therapies and education programmes.

“My thanks go to all those people and organisations who contributed much-needed equipment for the centre.”

Donations for centre are made through charity ChildAid, which supports children in eastern Europe.

Martin Wilcox, from ChildAid to Eastern Europe, co-ordinated the collection from Mountjoy School and arranged for a lorry to deliver the equipment to Moldova.