As the days are drawing in, nights are getting colder and the countdown to the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ commences, it is time to think about those in need. Supporting charities is becoming a common occurrence especially in schools.
This week, LPGS has been home to a charity extravaganza, as the year 7’s annual charity week begins! Raising awareness and recognition, every day focuses on a different charity chosen for either personal reasons or passion and interest. Every penny raised is donated and the fundraising activities are solely up to the pupils. Many decide on bake sales, selling homemade treats. There are also general sales with makeup, chocolates hampers and a tombola. In addition, students tend to think more ‘out of the box’ and in recent times showings of Christmas movies, a fundraising sports event, playing music or even soaking teachers with wet sponges and buckets of water prove to be popular! The prices are reasonable and affordable, not too cheap hardly making a profit, but a sufficient amount which pupils and teachers will pay.
Not only do the students participate in charity week but the members of staff and teachers also like to get stuck in and do their bit. Throughout the month, approximately ten male members of staff partook in ‘Movemember’. The head organiser at LPGS held an assembly for all years to raise awareness and promote the charity and scheme in its fourth year at the school.
Movemeber is an organisation founded in Australia 2003 by Travis Garone and Luke Slattery to awareness by growing a moustache. Moustaches were not fashionable at that time and they wondered whether they could they bring it back? They are dedicated to supporting those affected by prostate and testicular cancer and preventing the effects of mental health issues such as suicide globally, funding 1,200 men’s’ health programs internationally. They aspire to stop young men from men dying prematurely and aim to reduce the number dying prematurely by 25% in 2030 as well as to eliminate the stigma around the subject. To many teachers at LPGS the organisation is very important to them, many have lost friends and family or experienced it themselves and therefore strongly support the organisation and its work.
Supporting charities and helping where and when you can in essential and very much appreciated by the organisation you choose. No matter what charity, the money you raise and the volunteering work you do will help someone somewhere.
