The Abingdonian 2019

58 The Abingdonian Charities Committee This year was another very successful one for the Charities Committee. We have overseen fundraising for numerous charities, helping a wide range of causes on both a national and international scale. Over the course of the academic year, the school supported: Mary’s Meals - whose vision is that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education and that all those who have more than they need share with those who lack even the most basic things. Crisis UK - whose aim is to support people out of homelessness for good, by providing education, training, health services and employment and housing assistance, and by helping people who are homeless find a rental house and keep living there. Blue Skye Thinking – who support research into the treatment of childhood brain tumours striving to give all children diagnosed a better chance of survival and improved quality of life during and after treatment. UNICEF’s Indonesian tsunami relief fund - this followed a tsunami, triggered by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Indonesia, which affected more than 1.5 million people. UNICEF worked with the Indonesian government to help get lifesaving supplies to children and families affected and help rehome the displaced residents. Agape – Abingdon’s partner charity in Moldova, the poorest country in Europe, since 2000. It aims to serve the educational, emotional, physical and spiritual needs of those suffering the effects of poverty. Meningitis Research Foundation - a leading UK, Irish and international charity which aims to bring people and expertise together with the aim of creating a world free of meningitis and septicaemia through the use of effective vaccinations and research. Oxfordshire Search and Rescue – who work to ensure a timely and well orchestrated response when there are missing persons, and who can be called out by Thames Valley Police at any time of day all year round. Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service – which provides specialist respite, palliative and end-of-life care in homes across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and neighbouring counties. Its aim is to support children and families through the difficult end- of-life process and offer support every step of the way. The big event of the Michaelmas Term was the sponsored walk, which saw all students in the school participating in a half marathon, either walking, running, rowing or canoeing 13 miles. Everyone gathered sponsorship from people they knew to complete the walk, and an impressive total sum of £31,023 was raised for Mary’s Meals and Crisis UK. In addition to this, the committee also organised one home clothes day and one Christmas jumper day, which combined raised over £2,000. Also in the Michaelmas Term, in an initiative for Mary’s Meals, pupils in Lower School made backpacks filled with supplies that a child would need for a school day. 56 bags were created and sent