LA here we come!

When the summer term comes to an end in July, Gower College Swansea student Matthew Allen will be packing his bags and heading to Los Angeles.

Matthew, an Independent Living Skills student at the Tycoch campus, is set to take part in the Special Olympics World Games, where he has been selected to represent Team GB in swimming.

The only male Welsh swimmer to be selected for this event, Matthew, who has autism, already has a strong track record in the Special Olympics with two Gold medals, one Silver medal and two Bronze medals under his belt.

Now, Gower College Swansea has donated £250 towards Matthew’s trip.

“Matthew is a wonderful student and we’re really pleased that we can help him financially with his journey to the World Games,” says lecturer Karen McDonald. “He is always enthusiastic and is doing really well in his work experience at the college library. We wish him all the best for Los Angeles.”

With 7000 athletes and 3000 coaches representing 177 countries, along with 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated 500,000 spectators, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games will be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015, and the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games.