Bilton students go extra mile to help children's charity close to hearts

Students at a Bilton school have gone the extra mile for a children’s charity that supports families in the community.

Children at Crescent School have raised £3,783 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

They strarted fundaising for the charity back in May 2022, running a host of different events to say thank you to the hospital for the support and care they are providing to families within the school.

Joe Thackway, Headmaster at Crescent School, said: “No fundraising stone was left unturned for this worthy cause.

"Every single pupil at our school was keen to get involved with supporting Birmingham Children’s Hospital, wanting to do something to show how much they care.”

Funds were raised from a ‘move it day’ where the whole school ran 90 laps of the school’s fields on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the summer, to represent the 90,000 poorly children helped by the hospital each year. They have enjoyed non-uniform days, with the children wearing red – the charity’s colour- football kits and even Christmas jumpers.

Individual pupils have also undertaken fundraising activities. Five-year-old Alexandra and Niamh, both in Year 1, completed a sponsored 25 lap run of the playground raising over £600.

The School Council has also organised lots of fundraising games and competitions for the children to take part in, including the unusual but popular ‘distance potato throwing’ and ‘guess the name of the pig?’, as well as collections at the school gates and after concerts and events. Donations were even given for the school’s internal Christmas card postal service.

The school's parents association, Friends of Crescent, has supported the children’s fundraising too with a grand prize raffle at their Christmas Bazaar.

Will Graves, Birmingham Children’s Hospital representative, visited the school to collect the cheque.

Mr Thackway added: “We’re so proud of the children, and the wider school community, who have come together to do their bit to support the important work that Birmingham Children’s Hospital does.”

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