Charity collections reach £6000
Posted on Wednesday 25 November 2009
Student Association Charity Officer announces new record in charity collections
Student Association sets new record for charities
Students at Farnborough Sixth Form College have raised over £6000 for charities since September. Matt Davenport,18, of Fleet, Charities Officer for the Student Association at the College, said: “In addition to fund raising this year, we are raising awareness of the work of the charities we are supporting and the importance of their causes.”
The money has been raised principally through three hugely successful charity days at the College in addition to some smaller projects. In September students began their outstanding term by raising £1300 for Jeans for Genes, a charity very close to the hearts of the students. Matt said, “Asking our students to wear jeans seemed a bit pointless as it is their normal College uniform so instead everybody got dressed up in their pyjamas and headed to College for a day of fundraising, including a sponsored pillow fight held in one of the refectories”.
Pink Day followed in October, with students and staff all dressed in their finest pink attire, raising £1720 for Cancer Research UK. A great deal of pink food was sold on the day in addition to a rather messy assault course in which students competed to raise yet more money. As importantly, though, every single student in the College watched a short video presentation on how to check for lumps and bumps on breasts and testicles throughout the week, in order to raise awareness of the importance of self-examination for early detection. In addition the Student Association held a coffee morning for staff and raised over £110 in support of MacMillan Nursing.
For the Children In Need Appeal, students and staff raised over £1375; student 'buskers' played the crowds over the course of the two recent open days, while a karaoke session at lunch time kept students entertained and unearthed some dubious singing talent!
The College students are also collecting sponsorship money for a group of 40 students and 3 staff, representing the College community, who slept rough on the campus on a particularly wet and blustery November night. They did so to raise awareness and funds for the Aldershot based charity Step by Step, who specialise in helping young homeless people and those facing adversity. Students have been promised sponsorship which should top £1500.
With another two full terms ahead of them and the annual RAG week not far off the students hope to raise over £15,000 for charitable causes this year. Matt Davenport said, “That will be a record for the College students but we are determined to do it.”
