Charity Action Group
Over the past year Charity Action Group has continued to support two charities, one international and one local.
Our charities for 2016-17
This year we helped United World Schools to raise money to build a school in a rural community in Cambodia, and aided the Scotts Project Trust, a small charity based in Tonbridge which provides support for adults with learning disabilities to live independently.
Our group of 15 students from Year 11 to the Upper Sixth helped coordinate the activities of tutor groups during Middle and Upper School Charity Weeks. They delivered several assemblies to explain the work of the two charities, and ran a very successful concert which was themed‘ World-o-vision’. This featured performances from students representing different countries around the world with the audience voting for their favourite. In total the group helped to raise around £ 14,000 to split between the two charities, with UWS receiving additional funds from the PROMO group which visited Cambodia in March.
Big Sleep Out
In addition, Charity Action Group organised the second annual Big Sleep Out, this time to raise funds for Refugee Action. On a chilly Friday night at the end of the Lent term 55 students from Year 10 upwards, plus five staff members, slept outside on the campus with just sleeping bags and cardboard. This event, more than anything else, represents what Charity Action Group tries to achieve within the school community through raising awareness of the challenges faced by people who are in desperate need of help. Raising £ 1600 through sponsorship of participants was satisfying, but perhaps more important were the conversations prompted by various assemblies given on the work of the charity and the problems faced by refugees on arrival in Britain.
Next year: Refugee Action and mental health
Inspired by a visit from Refugee Action’ s CEO, Stephen Hale( OS 1990), Charity Action Group has selected this charity for the main focus of fundraising efforts for 2017-18. In addition, the group has decided to work more directly to raise awareness and support for people dealing with mental health issues. The ultimate goal of the group continues to be to prompt conversations in order that our whole community understands how important individual actions can be, whether to provide direct financial assistance, or to challenge and help overcome the various obstacles which charities face in their campaigning work.
Vanessa FitzGerald
SEVENOAKS SCHOOL 2016-2017 65