St Catherine’s launches schools Five-O Project
St Catherine’s Hospice launched this year’s Five-O Project, an annual enterprise challenge for local schools.
The launch took place at the Holiday Inn, Gatwick on 12 January and introduced teams of entrepreneurial students from participating schools, including Crawley’s Hazelwick School, The Gatwick School and Thomas Bennett Community College and Horsham’s Tanbridge House School to business mentors from NatWest and hospice staff.
Designed to develop students’ business skills, the Five-O Project challenges a team of six students from each school to create a business plan, event or idea that will raise a minimum of £1,500 for St Catherine’s from an initial £50 investment.
This year’s challenge is sponsored by NatWest, who are supplying three of their specialist business staff to provide guidance and support to each school team on their business plans. Over the spring term, pupils will seek their mentor’s advice and use their business knowledge as they battle it out to host fundraising events or come up with an idea that raises more money than their rival teams.
John Redfern, Head of Corporate (South East) at NatWest spoke of the launch. He said: “We’re really glad to support St Catherine’s Five-O Project for the sixth year. It’s always really rewarding to work alongside such enthusiastic and driven young people to raise money for St Catherine’s, and share our skills and business knowledge to help prepare them for the world of work.”
The Five-O challenge will end with an awards night, where pupils from the competing schools will present their business plans and events or ideas to a panel. Competing for four awards, including: the most money raised, most pounds per pupil, best presentation and most innovative fundraising idea, the winners will be announced that evening.
Last year, the project raised £17,000 and all funds raised from this year’s project will go towards helping terminally ill local people and their family and friends. Every year, St Catherine’s needs to raise £6 million to provide its expert end of life care across its Inpatient Unit, Day Hospices and in the comfort of patient’s own homes, so student’s fundraising efforts will make a real difference.
If you would like to learn more about the Five-O Project, please call a member of our Community Fundraising Team on 01293 447361 or email: comfun@stch.org.uk.
