Local students donate cash to St Catherine’s
Local school students have collectively raised more than £16,000 for terminally ill people as part of St Catherine’s Hospice Five-O Project.
The pupil’s amazing achievements were recognised at an awards ceremony on Thursday night (11 May) at the Holiday Inn, Gatwick where they were thanked, via video, by grateful hospice patients and staff.
Watched by parents, teachers and mentors, pupils from Crawley’s Gatwick School, Thomas Bennett Community College and Hazelwick School, and Horsham’s Tanbridge House School presented their fundraising ideas to a judging panel in a bid to win one of four awards.
Innovative presentations showcased varied fundraising ideas from a cake-off competition to a dodgeball tournament, and schools scooping an award included:
• Hazelwick School – Most money raised
• Gatwick School – Most pounds per pupil
• Tanbridge House School – Best presentation
• Tanbridge House School – Most innovative fundraising idea.
Designed to develop students’ business skills, St Catherine’s Five-O Project challenged six students from mixed year groups, to unleash their inner entrepreneurs and organise fundraising events that would raise a minimum of £1,500 for St Catherine’s. Sponsors, NatWest, gave the students £50 as an initial investment, provided 15 business mentors, two business meetings, and a business skills workshop during the 11 week challenge.
John Redfern, Head of Corporate Banking (South East) at NatWest, said: “This is the sixth year we’ve supported St Catherine’s Five-O Project and each year we’re blown away by the dedication and inventiveness of the students involved. Each of them has worked really hard to raise as much money as possible for the hospice, and for us to be able to share our professional knowledge to help them achieve their fundraising goals is a real privilege.”
Tom Abbott, Community and Events Fundraising Manager at St Catherine’s, said: “It was great to hear the fantastic ways our schools raised money for us, and we’re really grateful for their efforts. I’d like to thank our Five-O teams, their teachers, parents and NatWest mentors for helping us be there to care for local people.”
If you are interested in finding out how your school can get involved in next year’s Five-O Project please contact Emily Bradbury and Keely Bicknell in St Catherine’s Community Fundraising Team on: comfun@stch.org.uk, or: 01293 447316.
