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Charities and Community Service
The pupils at Colfe’s have an excellent record of
raising money for charity and taking part in community activities. The school’s approach is
primarily educational: the value of ‘charity’ activities is measured in terms of pupils’
development of a sense of social responsibility and concern, and pupils’ personal interests in
different causes help to decide how donations are made. Since September 2005 we have given money to
several charities, including the following:
- WWFWater Aid
- RSPCA
- EST Donkey Sanctuary
- World Aids Day (Terrence Higgins Trust)
- The British Legion
- Children in Need
Pupils often initiate fund-raising projects, and their
active involvement in fundraising and practical work is strongly encouraged. Regular events include
mufti days and talent shows, and a recent coffee morning and cake sale run by Year 7 pupils raised
a total of £390 for Macmillan Cancer Care. A fashion show organised in conjunction with businesses
in Blackheath produced a substantial sum for Cancer Research. None of this would be possible
without the enthusiasm and involvement of pupils as well as staff.
While many projects are naturally self-contained,
involving a fund-raising activity leading to a single donation to a good cause, Colfe’s also
recognises the importance of ongoing commitment and the value of taking a long-term interest in
individuals or organisations who effectively become our partners. This year we are continuing
our sponsorship of Ranasinghe, a teenage boy living in Sri Lanka, as well as supporting two donkeys
by the names of Marguerite and Tapestry who live in Sidmouth, Devon and give rides to local
disabled children.
Our largest-scale ‘community’ activity is our ongoing
relationship with Kotu Senior Secondary School in The Gambia. Over the last two years we have
raised around £16,000 to finance the construction of the ‘Colfe al-Hassan Library’ at Kotu, and at
Christmas 2004 and 2005 parties of staff and students from Colfe’s travelled to The Gambia to help
with some of the unskilled work. This project proved to be of such immense educational and personal
value to ourselves that we have decided to continue it into further developments, beginning with
the construction of a basketball court in 2007. It is hoped that future generations of
Colfeians will all have at least one opportunity of visiting Kotu in Years 11, 12 or 13, and that
those who do not do so will be able to benefit in other ways from our close connection with an
African school.
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