Wings of Hope
The Senior girls in 2007-08 will be focusing their fundraising efforts for the charity Wings of Hope. This charity supports poor and orphaned children around the world, irrespective of their religious background, by providing them with free education. Teams of students will raise money by organising events such as walks. The teams have until 22nd February to raise as much money as possible and to prepare a report. The reports are marked and the winning teams present them to a panel of judges in the House of Lords. Prizes are awarded for presentations, creativity and team work. Wings of Hope is supported by several companies including Pricewaterhouse Coopers; The Co-operative Group; The Sunday Times and Saatchi and Saatchi. These companies offer guidance to the teams and work experience to the winning team.
Last year, the girls helped Opportunity International, a company who use the money raised to offer loans to groups of grassroots entrepreneurs, usually women, in Africa, Asia or Latin America . In this way, the women and their families can move out of the poverty trap through the creation of employment, the provision of education and training, the empowerment of a local community to work together to improve their lives.
The girls, true to form, rose to this challenge in fine style. The school was buzzing with activity all year. Car-washing, odd-jobs, a Year 11 yearbook, tom-bolas, raffles and dressing up (in numerous and various wonderful themes…) have been just some of the in-school fund-raising methods employed.
Each year the whole school undertakes a sponsored fundraising event together. A highly successful Swim-a-thon was held in May which made a significant contribution to the total raised for the year and ensured the £5000 target was met.
Other charities the school supports include the local hospice Michael Sobell House and Comic Relief was marked by a red themed mufti day, with some staff members dressing up.
The Headmistress, Christine Juett said,
“This project is a good example of social enterprise whereby entrepreneurial skills are introduced into the curriculum alongside a sense of service to others. The girls can develop creative and business skills whilst changing the lives of those less fortunate than themselves.”
