Disabled children to explore the Yorkshire Dales after wheelchair bought in memory of Halifax teacher

Andy North, who regularly hiked the Dales in his wheelchair that was pushed by his wife Debbie, died at the age of 56 on June 29, shortly after he was diagnosed with cancer.

The former deputy head at Moorside Community Primary School, in Halifax, had asked people to make donations towards a wheelchair which would allow disabled children to explore the Dales before he died.

Mrs North, who is a prominent disability rights campaigner, announced she had bought the wheelchair yesterday, after more than £12,000 was raised by the campaign.

She said: “Just ordered the all-terrain wheelchair for kids for use in the Yorkshire Dales, thanks to all the kind donations made in memory of Andy.

“It’s bright orange of course.

“Details of where it will be located and how it will be available to borrow are coming soon.”

Mrs North has described her late husband as an “inspirational teacher” who was “loved by everyone and had a wicked sense of humour”.

On raising money for the wheelchair she said: "He wants to leave a legacy of an all terrain wheelchair specifically for children, so family units can get out together and if there are school trips to the Dales and there is a child with a disability, they will be able to use the wheelchair.

“Nobody should be excluded from accessing the Yorkshire Dales.”

She added: “Andy was an absolutely inspirational teacher. The tributes coming in from past pupils all say the same thing: he made learning fun, he inspired the children to go on and motivated them."

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