At Lyonsdown School, developing in our pupils an awareness of, and empathy for, those who are less fortunate, is an important aim for us. And each year our Lyonsdown families never fail to give generosity to all our charitable causes. Since September, we have raised money for:
Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoebox Appeal 2014: Giving to Rwanda
We were pleased to participate in the Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoebox Appeal once again. Children filled medium sized shoeboxes with a variety of gifts which were then sent on to underprivileged children in Rwanda. Charity monitors kept track of the box preparation and helped load the van with our Christmas shoeboxes.
The result of all this generosity was that 135 Christmas boxes were sent from Lyonsdown School to Africa. Thank you to all who helped to make the Christmas Shoebox Appeal 2014 such a success, and particularly to those families who sent in several boxes.
Jeans for Genes Day: Giving to Genetic Disorders UK
Jeans for Genes Day took place on September 19th 2014. This annual event raises money for children who are born with genetic disorders – a figure of 1 in 25 in the UK each year. Children with these disorders, (caused by a variation in their DNA), are supported through this campaign by funding for care and support. Both children and staff at school were given the opportunity to participate, by wearing their jeans to school and making a donation to a worthy cause.
Harvest Festival Assembly
On October 9th, we held our annual Harvest Festival Assembly. A mixture of songs about harvest and autumn were interposed with poetry, mime and storytelling, including a mini play about Demeter, the ancient Greek Goddess of the Harvest, and her daughter Persephone – which was performed by Year 4. Our families donated food, which was received at the hall doors by Year 6 pupils and then laid out on tables for pupils to see. After our assembly, the gifts were collected by St. John’s Church, who in turn took them to Barnet Food Bank.
Children in Need Fundraising Day
Instilling the belief that raising money for charity can be fun, Pre-Reception had an especially enjoyable afternoon contributing to Children in Need. How did we accomplish this? Well, everyone came to school in their pyjamas! Many children also brought in their favourite teddy or toy too. Rain was heavy, but soon forgotten as the children arrived to see 3 Pudsey Bears in their classroom – I wonder who they were! The fun commenced and everyone enjoyed our afternoon of giving. We raised £55 to donate to Children in Need. Pairing the concept of giving with enjoyment and a little adventure was all part of the plan and we are happy to report that this goal was accomplished. Thank you to all who gave.