An appeal by the charity LinkAble for financial help towards the cost of repairing and upgrading its sensory garden and adjoining facilities, which are used daily by the many young children and teenagers it helps, prompted Woking Lions Club to make a donation of £1,200 towards the total estimated cost of £4,950.

LinkAble supports people with various disabilities, including autistic youngsters, to create the life they want to live. Support is given in many ways, mainly on a one-to-one basis, which is exceedingly helpful to their parents.

LinkAble also takes the children on specific outings, sometimes on work experience and on other occasions on leisure activities, for example the numerous visits to Horsell Bowling Club, where the youngsters have been given several hours of practice on the bowling green.

Additionally, the youngsters have been encouraged to take an interest in gardening by helping to maintain a small patch in The Queen Elizabeth Gardens, also in Horsell.

LinkAble's premises in Board School Road, Woking, have been generously supported over the years by Woking Borough Council, with new premises being built some 15 years ago, but due to the council’s present financial situation it has not been able to maintain this interest.

However, over the years Woking Lions Club has made regular donations to assist with varying projects totalling nearly £6,000, including this latest donation.

Sue Stockman, chief executive of LinkAble, said: "We are most grateful to Woking Lions Club for this new donation towards refurbishing our sensory garden, as well as the £900 they also donated to us recently from the proceeds of their annual Martian Race on Horsell Common.

“This additional donation will help us to improve the facilities for all the children using the sensory garden."