Addington High charity drive to net £3k for local charity

By Gareth Davies

gareth.davies@essnmedia.co.uk

One lucky charity is to be given an early Christmas present thanks to hardworking Addington High students.

In September, 75 pupils were split into groups and sent out to find a good cause within their community.

They were then asked to produce a presentation the organisation's work, with the most accomplished example earning that charity £3,000.

The scheme, called the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative, is part of a competition organised by the Institute of Philanthropy, a charity which works with 250 schools across the UK and North America.

As the Advertiser went to press yesterday the final four groups were competing for the big prize.

Michael McCann, head of citizenship at the school, said the project has really caught his pupils' imagination.

He said: "It involved a great deal of independent research and organisation, which I think the students were surprised about.

"But they have gone into the community and really got involved and passionate about the groups they have spoken to."

As part of the project students were advised to focus on local organisations, rather than national charities such as Oxfam and Cancer Research UK.

As a testament to this specific focus, Mr McCann points to students who chose Addington Community Association as the group they wanted to study, two of whom were so inspired that they are now volunteering at the ACA on Saturdays.

"The response has been more than I could have hoped for," he explained.

"It definitely shows the strength of the scheme as well as the character of the students involved."

He wasn't the only one to be impressed. ACA President Ron Sealey, was delighted with the students who dropped by to learn more about the association.

"I have to say I was very, very impressed with the way the youngsters handled themselves.

"They are a credit to their parents, their school and the estate and I'm very pleased they are involved here – it goes to show there really some good youngsters living here."

Jad Adams, the chair of Nightwatch, one of the charities chosen by the students, said their presentation was "incredibly moving".

"It's really exciting in this difficult time to have young people interested in working in the community.

"We were delighted to have students from Addington High coming to see us.

"Their presentation of the work of Nightwatch do brings a tear to the eye."

"I'm very pleased they found us among all the charities that they could have taken an interest in."

Mr Adams believes the student's interest in his charity, which has been supporting the borough's homeless since 1976, has come at an appropriate time.

"There is never a good time to be homeless, of course, but the festive period is a very difficult time to be out and alone, when other people are with their families."

"Then there is the recession which is hanging over us. Even people who thought they were going to go through life with a home and a pension are having to reconsider their futures."