An online fundraising page has been set up to help the Thomas Wolsey School create a sensory cabin.

The school was given £25,000 of sensory equipment for the cabin by BT and the Lord Taverners, but grant applications to build the cabin itself were turned down.

And after seeing a plea from the school on the Ipswich Star’s website, 37-year-old Claire Martin from Colchester was inspired to help by setting up a Go Fund Me page.

“I thought it was a little bit heartbreaking and there’s got to be something we can do,” she said.

“You see on the news people start up these pages and it’s a good way of getting funding.”

The cabin would use specialist film projections called IRIS combined with sounds, vibrations and wind machines to simulate actual environments such as forests or the seaside, which many of the pupils may not ordinarily experience.

So far the page has raised £190, alongside £2,137 from Ipswich School’s summer ball.

The school’s business manager Teresa Snowling added: “There are some really kind people out there who want to help our school achieve our goal of a sensory cabin for use by all our special children and the wider community. So far we have received the sum of £2,557 and have been approached by a charitable trust who will hopefully supply us with a grant to the value of £2,000 in January. I am touched by the generosity of people and the kindness they have shown. I would like to personally thank everyone who has donated so far and give special thanks to Claire Martin who has given up her time to set up the Go Fund Me page for us. There are a few other prospective donors in the pipeline and the school is hoping that with the use of social media and newspaper coverage we will achieve our dream and we will have this wonderful sensory space up and running soon.”

To help the school and donate visit www.gofundme.com/thomas-wolsey-school-sensory-cabin.