King Offa pupils fundraise for local homelessness charity
Pupils at King Offa Primary Academy, part of Aurora Academies Trust, have donated £600 to local homelessness charity, Bexhill HUG, following the school’s first ever whole-school sponsored walk.
The walk saw every pupil at the school take part, from nursery children completing a lap of the school field to Year 6 pupils walking an impressive six miles. Thanks to overwhelming family support, with more than forty relatives joining on the day, pupils collectively covered over 1,000 miles.
The efforts raised a remarkable £3,600 which far surpassed the school’s expectations. After the event, the School Council met to discuss how the funds should be used. Determined to make a difference both in school and in their own community, they chose to donate £600 to Bexhill Homelessness Unity Group (HUG) – a small, volunteer-run charity supporting people experiencing homelessness in the local area.
The remaining funds will contribute to the redevelopment of the Key Stage 2 playground, an exciting project that will be shaped by pupils and their families to support enrichment and wellbeing.
Following the donation, the school welcomed Pauline Goubert from Bexhill HUG who spoke to pupils about the realities of homelessness and how they can continue to show kindness and compassion. She encouraged pupils to remember that “the kindest thing you can do is to smile if you see someone who is homeless.”
The school hopes this will be the first of many community walks which celebrate togetherness, and looks forward to expanding its collaboration with local charities.
Pauline Goubert, Project Manager at Bexhill HUG, said: “It was a pleasure and an honour to spend time with your pupils. I was very impressed by their behaviour and interest, especially at the end of a school week. As a very small, volunteer-run charity, local support means so much to us and it is heartening that your School Council chose to support homelessness."
James Towner, Headteacher at King Offa Primary Academy, said: “The sponsored walk was a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a school community comes together. The pupils’ decision to support Bexhill HUG shows an impressive understanding of the importance of helping others in the community. This donation reflects not only their hard work but their kindness, and we are delighted to see them growing into responsible and empathetic young people.”