Charity Committee Report 2023-24
The 2023/24 academic year was very successful for the very busy LGS Charity Committee, raising a grand total of £10,500 with a series of events throughout the year. We are very grateful to all pupils, parents and teachers who have helped support our chosen charities: Leukaemia and Lymphoma NI and Alzheimer’s Research UK.
We kicked off the year with a few bake sales and a hoody day, which of course are always popular with our LGS pupils, raising over £1000. Approaching Christmas time, candy cane sales rocketed and deliveries made to individuals via our enthusiastic elves were a popular option throughout the school. Around the same time collections were taking place in every registration class for food donations for Larne Foodbank as we want to help our local community as well. Thank you to all those who donated.
A highlight of the year was the annual Carol Service and we are indebted to the Music Department and all pupils and staff who participated in the Carol Service and to all parents and friends who attended. The offering that night, of over £800, went to our charities. The final day of the first term saw the annual tradition of The Big Bash, a talent show combined with our own versions of popular British game shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and I’m a Celebrity; this provided great value for money entertainment, and raised over £1000 when combined with the non-uniform day. Our Darts Club has been increasing in popularity the past year and ran a highly competitive darts competition: “the 9-dart challenge” took place, with all the lights, action and competition of London’s O2 Arena in the Lecture Theatre.
In Term 2, we ran a Valentine’s Fireside Quiz which we asked pupils to help sell. We are very grateful to Domino’s Pizzas, Curran Court Hotel, Larne Omniplex, Hannah K, and Hodge’s Butchers for donating some excellent prizes; this quiz raised over £1400. Bun sales continued with Easter buns selling out rapidly and we enjoyed a non-uniform day to end the term. One of our final events this year was our Taylor Swift Launch Lunch which was quite the party and we’re sure even Taylor would have been impressed.
In the 3rd Term we finished off the year with the annual table quiz and a final non uniform day. In August a team of staff and some former pupils entered relay teams or ran the Antrim Coast Half Marathon and raised a further £2500 including Gift Aid.
We were grateful to have a representative from Leukaemia and Lymphoma NI presenting to our assembly about the work of their organisation and receiving their cheque for £4000, following up with a further cheque for £2517 today. We also were delighted to welcome Alzheimer’s Research UK to school in June to receive their cheque for £4000.
As a school we are so grateful for the pupils who volunteer as Charity Committee members. Their energy, enthusiasm and practical attitude, coupled with the support of so many pupils, mean we can make a useful contribution to improving the lives of others. We hope that, through Charity events in LGS, everyone will be reminded of our need to remember the needs of others around us.
Lauren McKeown
Head Girl & Charity Committee Member