Coming together to support good causes
Charity-minded pupils, staff and parents at Bedales Prep and Pre-prep have raised over £7,000 for good causes this term.
The money, which will be split between several charities, has been raised through a series of events and initiatives, including the annual Help Other People in Trouble (HOPiT) Fair at Bedales Prep, Dunhurst on 30 November. Pupils are involved at every stage of the fundraising process, from choosing charities and giving informed pitches to the rest of the school in a bid for support, to making wares to sell and manning stalls at the HOPiT Fair itself. This year’s event raised over £2,000 for local, national and international charities; local beneficiaries include Rowan’s Hospice, FEAST and The Whittington Hospital.
Other fundraising efforts at Dunhurst this term include raising £264 for Fitzroy over a one-week period in November. Fitzroy, a Petersfield-based charity with a national reach, is familiar to students at Bedales Senior School, who volunteer at Fitzroy’s ‘On Track’ day service in Petersfield as well as the Rural Skills project in East Meon. A Bedales team of 65 runners, which included pupils from Dunhurst, also raised thousands for the charity by taking part in the Great South Run in Southsea in September.
At Bedales Pre-prep, Dunannie, children have also been involved in fundraising initiatives, including a sponsored street dance, which raised £190 for BBC Children in Need, a ‘Guess the Name of the Whale’ competition and a Dunannie vegetable sale, which raised £140 for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation; a cake sale, which raised £228 for Macmillan; and a Christmas disco, which raised £160 for the NSPCC. Meanwhile, programmes sold at the Christmas production of A Mermaid’s Tale raised an additional £125 for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation.
Children have also collected non-financial donations, filling shoeboxes with food for Petersfield Food Bank for Harvest Festival and packing boxes with Christmas presents for children in Eastern European orphanages as part of the Mustard Seed Relief Mission’s ‘Love in a Box’ campaign. A silent auction organised by the Dunannie parents’ association, with 39 lots to choose from – ranging from a night of babysitting and ironing, to a one-to-one yoga session – raised £4,666 for local charities Children on the Edge and The Roberts Centre, Portsmouth.
Head of Dunhurst Colin Baty said: “The community at Dunhurst has been fantastic in supporting a number of charities this year. We are keen to raise awareness among Dunhurstians about other people less fortunate, and ensure that they understand that giving doesn’t have to be about money, but your time and kindness too. This sits neatly with our thought of the week this week: ‘Happiness does not result in what we get but what we give’.”
Head of Dunannie Victoria Homewood commented: “Children, parents and staff have worked together and raised a significant amount for some worthwhile charities. The children are learning an important lesson in the joy of giving and helping others. I’m delighted we have been able to support some great local charities.”
Bedales Prep, Dunhurst | Bedales Pre-prep, Dunannie | Colin Baty
