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Charities at Beaudesert
22/08/2007


We feel it is very important to encourage children at Beaudesert to become aware of those less privileged and fortunate than themselves, and secondly, to develop a sense of responsibility towards them.

At Beaudesert we undertake a wide variety of charitable work which can range from support of international and national organisations such as Médecins sans Frontieres, Children with Leukemia and Red Nose Day. We also work with local organisations such as schools and hospices in our area and projects which we have identified and sourced ourselves. Sometimes pupils are in charge of organising their own fundraising events, as in the Staff Car Wash and ‘Splat the Teacher' last autumn, and sometimes they are given a helping hand. Our work is not limited to raising money; we try to show that giving time and effort is as important as giving cash, and recycling things which we have outgrown or no longer use can be equally helpful.

We particularly like projects which involve children, where we get pictorial or written feedback, and where the money goes directly to the recipients. Here are accounts of two such projects.

Nundu
Four years ago, we received details of a school in Tanzania from the Venerable Christopher Wagstaff, former Archdeacon of Gloucester. They had no running water in the school, the nearest supply being 1.5km away. We decided to raise enough money to have water piped to a tap at the school. This involved digging channels, and installing holding tanks and a Hydram pump, as the water had to travel a distance uphill. The total cost was £2000, which we managed to raise by coin collections, book sales, non-uniform days and discos. The project was overseen by the local Diocesan education officer, and we received detailed accounts of all monies spent. Not a penny went on administration. There was a chance remark in the accounts which indicated that with one more pump, the whole village of Nundu, which was also waterless, could benefit from the school's supply. This seemed like a job unfinished, so we duly raised another £750 for the second pump.

San Vicente School, Paraguay
In the summer of 2005, head of Science Mrs Butterworth and her family visited Paraguay, meeting up with the O'Neill family, former neighbours whose son Tom had attended Beaudesert. They were taken to visit a local school, which the O'Neills were helping to support. Despite the poverty and lack of facilities, there was such a determination to improve their lot that Jenny Butterworth was moved to suggest that we raise some money to help build a sports area which would serve both for lessons and as a dining room. To date we have in excess of £1000 for them, and we are looking forward to receiving feedback as their building work commences.