The Stella Rogers Appeal - update

Date: Thursday 22 April 2010

It is wonderful to be able to publicise the fact that the Stella Rogers Appeal has so far raised a total of £19,272

The pupils of St Edmund’s School Canterbury raised a fantastic £7009 for the Stella Rogers Appeal on 9 February. When the Interact committee decided to hold a ‘non-uniform’ day to raise funds for the Stella Appeal, a parent, Mrs Mcleod, proposed to The Coutts' Charitable Trust that they might make a donation. They kindly offered to match the funds raised up to £3000 and Mrs Mcleod said “They challenged the pupils to raise more than the foreseen £800.”

The 535 pupils aged 3 to18 rose to this challenge and collected a staggering total £4009 from donations for the ‘casual’ day and a range of other activities: they had cake sales, made and sold friendship chocolates, Form 4 had a second hand toy sale and two pupils did a sponsored silence. On 24 March, Coutts honoured their pledge and presented a cheque for a very generous £3000 to the school for the Stella Rogers Appeal.

The non-uniform day is just one of many events being organised to raise funds for Stella, whose sister attends the Pre-Prep School. The Master of the Junior School, Mr Robert Bacon said “The whole School community has taken Stella’s plight to heart and has shown huge compassion and enthusiasm for this worthy cause. The pupils have shown great initiative in raising money for this appeal and the total raised so far is £19,272.”

Other fund-raising activities have included George Gibbons’ sponsored head-shave (£627), the Abingdon House sponsored Obstacle Race (£7790), 'St Ed’s Has Got Talent' (£856) and the Abingdon House Quiz Evening (£1642).

The next big event is the sponsored staff Coast to Coast run along Hadrian’s Wall planned for 5 June 2010. The run will be organised as a relay with each runner running five legs of four miles in the day to cover the 84 miles from west to east - with a following wind! I am sure that sponsorship forms will soon be in circulation.