Crawley school makes huge effort to fundraise and support Crawley Open House

Amongst the devolved topics up for vote, homelessness was most voted on by our pupils.

Upon their return to school in March the school’s Student Council was approached by a Year 11 pupil whom wanted to run a charity event before he finished his schooling.

After many discussions and suggestions, they finally decided that they wanted to reach out to their local community and address the issue of homelessness.

After careful consideration they were in agreement with supporting Crawley Open House; as it serves homeless people on a daily basis, as well as supporting vulnerable people and families facing hardship with its food bank during these difficult times.

The pupils thought of several ways they could prolong a week long drive which included: taking part in a dance off, selling ice cream and refreshments during their lunch break and ending with a non-school uniform day; where fellow peers were asked to either contribute loose change or make a food donation.

In total, the school raised £619, with food donations equally matching that amount, and the school could not be more proud of its' pupils.

In the wake of lockdowns and the continued Covid upheaval, pupils at The Gatwick School have managed to adapt and approach life with fresh eyes; wanting to help and give back to their surrounding community. This is truly an example of what our young people can accomplish when they come together.

Ian Wilkins, fundraising and relationship manager at Crawley Open House said: “Crawley Open House has never been busier accommodating and supporting those who find themselves homeless and vulnerable locally.

"We can only carry out this work with the generous and thoughtful help of so many in our community.

"Thank you to all the pupils, staff, parents and carers at the Gatwick School for being part of this amazing group of people.”

Back in October, having experienced life in a global pandemic - people were given an opportunity to reconsider their priorities.

Pupils at The Gatwick School set themselves a challenge in a midst of this stressful period in time and have proved that they are able to grow ‘the valuable’ issues which matter the most.

The school hopes the pupils see their tremendous efforts as a source of enormous power they as individuals possess - to make a difference within the wider community of the school.