Rugby primary school pupils raise nearly £1,000 for Malawi charity

A Rugby primary school presented a cheque for nearly £1,000 to a locally-run charity supporting people in Malawi.
Crescent Schools Year 4 with Sue Melia (left), headteacher Huw Marshall (centre left) and Tony Melia (centre right). Photo: Crescent School NNL-170515-121105001Crescent Schools Year 4 with Sue Melia (left), headteacher Huw Marshall (centre left) and Tony Melia (centre right). Photo: Crescent School NNL-170515-121105001
Crescent Schools Year 4 with Sue Melia (left), headteacher Huw Marshall (centre left) and Tony Melia (centre right). Photo: Crescent School NNL-170515-121105001

Crescent School’s Year 4 class has been raising money all year for Bwengu Projects Malawi with numerous projects, including a sponsored silence and a treasure hunt.

Rugby residents Tony and Sue Melia, who run the charity, were invited to the school to be given the cheque during a whole-school assembly on May 9.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Deputy head teacher Bryony Forth said: “Supporting the Bwengu Project is always a highlight of my teaching year, something of which I personally am very proud to be part of.

“It all started with book donations and collections at the carol service but then when I took over teaching Geography in September, 2009, we made Bwengu our study for comparing ‘a village less economically developed than Rugby’ and our fundraising has grown since then.

“We must have raised around £7,000 now and helped pay for renovating schools, building a women’s development centre, sewing machines, a teacher’s salary and 58,500 meals for orphans.”

Each year the Year 4 pupils study Africa, in particular Malawi and the work Bwengu Projects does.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Studying the challenges the people in Malawi face helps the children to appreciate the similarities and differences in our societies.

The children then choose specific projects to support and organise fundraising activities the whole school participate in.

This year, the Year 4s have raised money in a number of enterprising ways including building a penny path, enduring a sponsored silence and running a treasure hunt.

The money the school has raised will be split between the Bumba School Furniture Project and the Orphan Feeding Programme.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tony said: “Our aims are quite simple, to educate the many and not the few.

“As we know it is difficult to ask a question of those that lead you, if you cannot read, write or even count.

“Our philosophy is simply helping the many to help themselves.”

Related topics: