Bernie Nolan always wanted to give back and support local projects, so this was a lovely way to celebrate her

Linda, Denise, Maureen and Anne Nolan presented Blackpool’s Park Community Academy a brand-new Sunshine Coach, from Variety, the Children’s Charity and the North West Props Awards 2023.

The sisters, famed for their iconic music career, selling over 30 million records worldwide, had the honour of unveiling the minibus in a special ceremony held at the school - on the day of what would’ve been their late sister Bernie’s 64th birthday.

Bernie passed away from secondary breast cancer, the same disease Linda has been living with since 2017 and has spread to her hip, liver and more recently, her brain.

The Sunshine Coach was formally presented to Mrs Fielder, the chair of governors, and Gill Hughes, the Headteacher, alongside the school’s head pupils.

The coach will provide essential transport for the students, enabling them to take part in offsite activities such as educational trips, residentials, sports events, choir and band practice, work experience and more.

The event was a vibrant celebration, featuring performances by the Park Community Academy Choir, band and cheerleaders.

Mrs Fielder, expressing the school’s deep appreciation said: “This new Sunshine Coach is going to open up countless opportunities for our students, allowing them to access enriching activities and develop essential life skills. We are incredibly grateful to everyone involved in making this possible.”

The Nolans expressed their own delight, adding, “It was a huge honour to unveil this Sunshine Coach, especially during Variety’s 75th birthday year and on our sister Bernie’s birthday.

“Bernie always wanted to give back and support local projects, so this was a lovely way to celebrate her. We loved meeting the students and staff of Park Community Academy, and it was truly special to see how much joy this coach will bring to young people in the place we’ve called home for over 50 years.”

Headteacher Mrs Hughes said, “We are thrilled with our new Sunshine Coach! It will enable us to further enrich our curriculum and offer even more learning experiences for our students, supporting them as they grow in independence and develop key life skills within the community.”