Scottish Catholic Observer

SCHOOLCHILDREN from across the country have been involved in a number of fundraising initiatives in the past few weeks, raising thousands of pounds to help those less fortunate than them in the developing world.

At the beginning of this month, St Augustine’s High School in Edinburgh celebrated its feast day Mass with Cardinal Keith O’Brien. As part of the celebrations the school community were delighted to present SCIAF with a cheque for £6000.

The cardinal joined pupils from the school, Terry McNamee, headteacher and Sarah Murray, teacher, as they watched head boy and girl Joe Harrison and Elizabeth Dunn hand over the cheque to John Sharp, SCIAF’s schools officer.

Throughout the season of Lent, pupils from St Michael’s Primary School, Glasgow, have been raising money for SCIAF.

A number of events have been taking place in the school including, bingo days, hair with flair day, one-mile sponsored walk, guess the number of Easter eggs in the jar and a wear your pyjamas to school day.

A SCIAF Wee Box has been placed in every class in the school and pupils have been encouraged to contribute what they can. Many pupils have given up sweets and chocolate for Lent and put their extra money in the boxes.

Also in Glasgow, pupils from St Paul’s Primary School held a Sport yer Sannies event to raise funds for SCIAF.

Pupils wore traditional school ‘sannies’ for the day and were asked to create a penny trail around the school with the coins they brought in.

The children responded enthusiastically bringing in thousands of coins. They were asked to follow the trail and were given a keep-fit activity to complete for each section of the trail. The activity managed to raise a total of £500 for SCIAF.

The keep-fit theme continued at St Mary’s Primary School, Bannockburn, where, as part of their Lenten activities, all pupils from the school took part in a sponsored zumba event on March 22.

St Mary’s pupil council arranged the event, which included a zumba instructor visiting the school to lead the activity. All proceeds from the event were to be distributed to a variety of charities including SCIAF, CHAS and LEPRA.

Primary seven pupils from St Joseph’s, Glasgow, raised more than £100 to help Mary’s Meals charity.

In addition to holding a raffle, and pupil donations, the school collected 47 backpacks, filled with clothes, toothbrushes and other essential items, which Mary’s Meals will send to poor children all over the world. St Columba’s High School, Gourock, also chose Mary’s Meals as their nominated charity for fundraising events, which have been taking place since Advent.

Richard Heuchan, a local member of Mary’s Meals fundraising team, recently visited St Columba’s to receive a cheque for £2000.

Events at the school included a sponsored bounce, talent show and a non-uniform day.