Charity Fundraising

We encourage our pupils to consider others in need and to help them through giving of both their time and effort. The organising of fundraising events is therefore a key part of the Community Outreach programme.

This programme is organised by a network of pupils led by the two Community Outreach prefects and comprising their Lower 6 assistants, Community Outreach Representatives from each form in High School and Prefects from Prep School. Together they are responsible for presenting the chosen charity to the rest of the school, deciding on a programme of events for the year and then encouraging all members of the school community to come together in support of that charity. Nowhere was the success of this organisation better seen than around the grounds of the school on Red Nose Day last year when all members of the school community could be seen, dressed as clowns and other circus characters, dancing together in a conga!

Each year, a school charity or charities is chosen. In the past, we have supported Physcap, St James Hospital, Make a Wish and Neema School in Kenya. Over the last two years, we have supported a local charity, Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group, and have been successful in raising almost £25,000 to help them to continue their work with disabled children and adults. As a result, we are very proud to have sponsored two of the weekly rides: The Gateways School Ride on Thursdays at 7.30pm and Gateways 200 Bike Ride on Mondays at 1.45pm.

Each form under the guidance of their Form Representatives works together to plan and execute a creative fundraising event within school. These “form challenges” provide the basis for our giving, and are supplemented by larger school wide events. Such events have included a Prep Tea Party, a High School Musical Disco, the Dance Benefit as well as the highly successful Cycle Tour 200 and the Enterprise Club’s “Gateways’ Next Top Model” fashion show.

In addition to our school charity, each year we support the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox collection and the Rotary Club’s Aquabox scheme. We promote wider social awareness in our pupils by participating in such national events as Children in Need, Comic Relief and Sports Relief.

This year, we are focusing our fundraising efforts on the theme of Homes of Children and have chosen to support two charities: The Theo Trust and Hope and Homes for Children. Our fundraising has already started with a sponsored cycle ride in aid of The Theo Trust and more details of this can be found by clicking on the links below.

The Theo Trust and the Cumbria Cycle Tour

Hope and Homes for Children link to their website www.hopeandhomes.org