A disabled schoolgirl has been given the chance to communicate for the first time following a donation from an accountants.

Kacie Gouldthorp of Oakview School in Whitehills Road, Loughton, was presented with The Sensory Eye-FX programme by Loughton-based accountants, Haslers, last week. 

The programme will give the six-year-old, who has cerebral palsy and can only communicate non-verbally, the chance to learn to communicate with an “eye gaze” system.

This will give the schoolgirl the independence to make decisions and choices, such as changing television channels and turning on a radio, by 'eye-pointing'.

The school, who says "Kacie has amazing awareness and wants to communicate", approached the business for the £650 donation which will enable them to purchase a computer-based programme to develop skills through stimulating activities such as splat painting, making patterns and onscreen musical instruments.

Headteacher Dianne Ryan said: “the Sensory Eye-FX programme proved to be very expensive, however when we mentioned what we would like to do for Kacie to Haslers, they offered to donate funds for the system.

“This programme is an absolutely fantastic piece of technology, it will expand Kacie’s horizons giving her more freedom to live as independently as possible. 

“Without this donation the school just would not have been able to spend that amount on one pupil.

“It is going to allow Kacie to make choices of her own and quite simply, it is going to empower her.”