On the 10th November 2018, ‘A Christmas Affair’ was held at The Skinners’ Kent Academy (SKA). The sale is a long-standing tradition created by the Nourish Foodbank in which designer clothes are sold for charity in a boutique sale. It was the turn of the Academy this year to host the charity to fulfil its contribution to the local community, along with a group of Year 13 students completing the requirements of the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP), and to give something back to our town.
The IBCP is an internationally recognised qualification taken globally by post-16 students in Sixth Form. As well as typical diploma subjects, much like more conventional A-levels taken by other secondary schools leavers, the IBCP offers students the opportunity to become more balanced individuals, using the qualification as a way to develop communication, work-based and community-oriented skills. Along with the diploma subjects, the IBCP, unlike its sister Diploma Programme, requires students to think more widely about their actions and their influence on their community; locally, nationally and globally. As part of this Core programme, students are asked to conduct twenty-five hours of external community service. ‘A Christmas Affair’ is just one instance in which both the Academy and Year Thirteen have helped any charity, not just Nourish, but this has been one of the biggest yet in the school’s nine year history; with students, teachers, the PTA and charity coming together.
‘A Christmas Affair’ is an annual event organised by Nourish in order to raise funds for the charity to maintain its operations. The money raised from the yearly venture allows the charity to prolong its tenure for another year. This year has been no different from any other. More and more people, particularly families, rely on the help and security that the Nourish Foodbank provides each year. As of 2017, 4614 people have been helped through Nourish’s work and donations, with 41,526 meals given to all those who need it. However, those 41,526 meals would not have been given without all of the helped received. Nourish is a charity relying heavily on public donations and fundraising events such as ‘A Christmas Affair’, with the help of The Skinners’ Kent Academy and several Sixth Formers and invaluable organisation has been able to stay afloat for even longer, helping more and more people.
On the 10th November, many organisations gathered in communion to allow Tunbridge Wells to help a much loved charity with resounding success. With the aid of the school newsletter, social media and promotion at one of the Academy’s Open Evenings we helped to welcome many people to the event. These people helped all of use to raise £2,400. These donations was split between the Nourish Foodbank and their partner charity for this event; Taylor Made Dreams. Both charities hope, that with continued support, this will become an annual event. Dawn Stanford, one of the many event organisers deemed it to be a “wonderful example of many people coming together to help others.” She went on to say that “we really cannot express how grateful we are to SKA and the many wonderful helpers” that helped during the events infancy and as it grew into ‘A Christmas Affair’, with “passionate helpers willing to get stuck in” – students and staff – allowing this to happen. There is no measure as to how important this event will become as the money raised will go to children, helping them complete their bucket list as they battle serious illness, and to feed many local families at Christmas.
It is always the hope of such charities for events to raise amounts such as this, but it is the hope of myself and my fellow Year 13s to have raised greater awareness of the vital work that is carried out by this charity and its vital volunteers and friends.
The IBCP is an internationally recognised qualification taken globally by post-16 students in Sixth Form. As well as typical diploma subjects, much like more conventional A-levels taken by other secondary schools leavers, the IBCP offers students the opportunity to become more balanced individuals, using the qualification as a way to develop communication, work-based and community-oriented skills. Along with the diploma subjects, the IBCP, unlike its sister Diploma Programme, requires students to think more widely about their actions and their influence on their community; locally, nationally and globally. As part of this Core programme, students are asked to conduct twenty-five hours of external community service. ‘A Christmas Affair’ is just one instance in which both the Academy and Year Thirteen have helped any charity, not just Nourish, but this has been one of the biggest yet in the school’s nine year history; with students, teachers, the PTA and charity coming together.
‘A Christmas Affair’ is an annual event organised by Nourish in order to raise funds for the charity to maintain its operations. The money raised from the yearly venture allows the charity to prolong its tenure for another year. This year has been no different from any other. More and more people, particularly families, rely on the help and security that the Nourish Foodbank provides each year. As of 2017, 4614 people have been helped through Nourish’s work and donations, with 41,526 meals given to all those who need it. However, those 41,526 meals would not have been given without all of the helped received. Nourish is a charity relying heavily on public donations and fundraising events such as ‘A Christmas Affair’, with the help of The Skinners’ Kent Academy and several Sixth Formers and invaluable organisation has been able to stay afloat for even longer, helping more and more people.
On the 10th November, many organisations gathered in communion to allow Tunbridge Wells to help a much loved charity with resounding success. With the aid of the school newsletter, social media and promotion at one of the Academy’s Open Evenings we helped to welcome many people to the event. These people helped all of use to raise £2,400. These donations was split between the Nourish Foodbank and their partner charity for this event; Taylor Made Dreams. Both charities hope, that with continued support, this will become an annual event. Dawn Stanford, one of the many event organisers deemed it to be a “wonderful example of many people coming together to help others.” She went on to say that “we really cannot express how grateful we are to SKA and the many wonderful helpers” that helped during the events infancy and as it grew into ‘A Christmas Affair’, with “passionate helpers willing to get stuck in” – students and staff – allowing this to happen. There is no measure as to how important this event will become as the money raised will go to children, helping them complete their bucket list as they battle serious illness, and to feed many local families at Christmas.
It is always the hope of such charities for events to raise amounts such as this, but it is the hope of myself and my fellow Year 13s to have raised greater awareness of the vital work that is carried out by this charity and its vital volunteers and friends.
