Schools in the Bury Academy Trust raise more than £21,000 for charities

Two schools in the Bury St Edmunds Academy Trust have raised more than £21,000 for a number of charities from their end of year fund-raising.

County Upper School, in Beeton’s Way, made £14,928 from its annual charity drive to be divided between Save the Children, Macmillan, the British Heart Foundation, East Anglian Air Ambulance and the Papworth Trust.

Meanwhile, Horringer Court Middle, in Glastonbury Road, achieved £6,663 from its week of activities in aid of The Sick Childrens Trust, the Millenium Farm Trust and West Suffolk Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit.

County Upper’s charity activities, which have been running every December since 1985, have raised more than £250,000 for various organisations.

Fun-filled highlights this year included Gladiators, All Star Mr and Mrs, a sponsored leg waxing and talent show.

Speaking after the charity total was revealed on Friday, head Vicky Neale said: “The atmosphere is always special when the charity total is revealed and this afternoon was no exception. This year’s charity team were naturally very nervous beforehand but absolutely delighted once they knew they had raised the incredible sum.”

Long-standing governor John Salmon and a Rolls-Royce representative presented the prizes for last summer’s exams success.

Meanwhile, pupils at Horringer Court Middle School raised their record-breaking total in just one week.

On Friday proud students and parents congregated in St Mary’s Church in Bury to celebrate the end of a very successful year for the school and to look forward to 2015.

For its annual fund raising challenge, each house was given one day to sell cakes, one day taking part in a sponsored event and one day at a charity fair to raise as much cash as they could. This year the school smashed its previous fund raising record by more than £1,500.

Headteacher Tania Johnson said she was extremely proud of what the students has achieved.

“The total raised has ever been this high before,” she said

“We are tremendously proud of them, - they have worked so hard.”

Chair of governors Margaret Culpin said: “I think it is a credit to the school, the pupils and to the staff.”