Ingenious fundraising
LRGS pupils presented several local, national and international charities with cheques of £2500 each recently, following the annual Lenten Charities fundraising programme.
The boys raised an amazing £20,000 over one term this year and presented £2500 each to the following charities, which they had chosen: the Afghan Institute for Learning, Alzheimer’s Society, Beaumont College, CancerCare, Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLAPA), Friends of Chernobyl’s Children Lancaster, Save the Children and Stepping Stones Nigeria.
Representatives from seven of the eight charities attended a lunch and presentation ceremony at LRGS recently. Headmaster Andrew Jarman said: “Today is always one of the proudest days in my year. As well as the annual Set Run, and the obvious round of concerts and cake stalls, the boys' fundraising ingenuity never ceases to amaze me”. One pupil raised £100 by spending the day dressed up as a chicken; wet sponges were thrown at teachers, and paper plane contests were held. A teachers’ karaoke, including renditions of an Eminem song, proved very popular with the boys!
Mike Cowan from Friends of Chernobyl’s Children said their cheque would fund five more children to come for a much-need holiday from Belarus to Lancaster next year. CLAPA’s Louise Wheeler said that £2500 ‘is a huge amount for a charity like ours’ and Lynne Stafford from CancerCare said ‘this will help us to continue to help local people in north Lancashire and south Cumbria’.
Gary Foxcroft, an old boy of LRGS, explained how Stepping Stones Nigeria had grown since it was set up in 2005 to defend the rights of children in the Niger Delta region: ‘Since then it has snowballed. We have trained 4,500 teachers in a fast-track teaching scheme and now take part in advocacy work at UN level. Key to this growth has been the massive support we receive from Lancaster, and in particular from LRGS. It has enabled us to build classrooms and buy computers. The support from the boys has been much appreciated and has made a massive difference.’
Stepping Stones Nigeria has just launched its PACT campaign - Prevent Abuse of Children Today - and is asking people to sign the pact, to stand up for chidren's rights in the Niger Delta. To sign the pact or for more information about the PACT campaign please visit www.makeapact.org.
