Schools raise fab £6k for social projects

Secondary school students in Perth and Kinross have been responsible for a vital funding boost of £6000 to local charities.

The 11 local schools committed to The Wood Foundation programme which sees young people work in teams to identify social issues impacting their communities and the charities addressing them.

They then develop creative presentations in a bid to secure their school’s grant money for their cause.

The top three social issues securing Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) funding this year were support for those facing health and disability conditions, services to address mental health and wellbeing, and action to tackle poverty in Scotland’s communities.

Bertha Park High School pupils donated funding to Elder Voice, a Blairgworie-based charity addressing loneliness, isolation and malnutrition in older people.

Blairgowrie High and Perth Academy pupils donated to Perth Samaritans and Breadalbane Academy pupils helped fund towards the Aberfeldy and District Junior Agricultural Club.

Crieff High School raised money for Cancer Research UK, while Kinross High School donated to KYTHE, a non-profit organisation aimed towards improving the quality of life among hospitalised children with cancer and other chronic illness.

Pupils at Morrison’s Academy donated to sensory aid charity Vision PK, while Perth Grammar pupils donated to Perth and Kinross Food Bank.

Perth High School raised money for crisis and suicide prevention youth charity The Lighthouse for Perth, and Pitlochry High School donated to SAMH.

St John’s Academy raised funds for The Sunshine Box, a non-profit that supplies toys and gifts to children in hospitals around Scotland.

UK director at The Wood Foundation Ali MacLachlan said: “Young people raising awareness of social issues and ensuring this vital funding reached communities at a time of acute need is so important.

“We are incredibly proud of the dedication and commitment shown by schools and students to ensure this important learning and funding opportunity continued with such vigour despite all the challenges of the school year from COVID-19.

“Giving young people a platform and a voice to lead their learning and make a difference to the issues they saw first-hand locally took on additional significance in a year when so much autonomy was taken away. We have been blown away by many of the presentations and have great hope that our young people are an exciting force for change.”