Students excel at charity (From Penarth Times)

Students excel at charity

READERS will know that students of St Cyres are very conscious of their duty to help those who are less fortunate than themselves.

This - the year of fundraising following the tsunami disaster - has seen their efforts reach a new level, resulting in a record total of more than 8,700 being raised in a range of inventive ways.

The regular collections for the large charities such as Save The Children, Marie Curie and Tenovus were once again organised and completed by the pupils, but they also came up with some new and novel ways of persuading their fellow students to part with their cash,

Pupils from each of the Lower School year groups competed with each other to raise the most by selling donated cakes and biscuits during break times.

And, once again appealing to the eager appetites of the school Year 11, they joined the rest of the country in taking part in the McMillan charity's Biggest Coffee Morning, selling teas, coffee, hot chocolate and cakes which they had bought with their own money.

The response to the tsunami appeal was huge and immediate - collecting buckets went around the classrooms on the first morning back and groups of pupils raised cash throughout the school by sponsored silences,and a hugely impressive stage show organised and presented entirely by Year 11 pupils.

The day which will be most remembered by the pupils was Mad Head Day for Comic Relief, when staff and pupils were allowed to decorate their heads in whatever way they chose.

The tragic death of pupil Kyle Smith once again prompted the pupils' response and another set of activities raised more than 1,000 for the Noah's Ark Appeal, greatly helped by Mr Wilkins' agreement to have his 22-year-old beard shaved off in return for sponsorship.

The students are already looking forward to the new year and a group of Year 9 and 10 pupils have formed a Fair Trade Committee to promote the sale of Fair Trade products in the school.

This will involve them donating the initial money to buy goods from the Fair Do's shop in Canton, and then reselling them in school, giving up their breaks to do so.

The fundraising which takes place at St Cyres is undertaken primarily by the pupils and it is to their great credit that they do so with such enthusiasm.