Let’s think pink! Children’s colourful way to lend a hand to good cause
UNIFORMS were swapped for all things pink as school pupils showed support for a charity providing holidays for children with cancer.
A week of non-uniform days across Havant was organised by Mayor of Havant Prad Bains, with thousands of pupils and staff getting on board with Think Pink week to help raise awareness for mayoral charity Hannah’s Holiday Home.
Around 20 schools took part, raising thousands of pounds for the charity, which was started by Pam Marshall in memory of her daughter Hannah Westbrook and provides free holidays to children with life limiting illnesses.
Pupils were encouraged to don their favourite pink items of clothing and give an optional donation towards the charity, as well as learning more about how the organisation helps people.
Pam joined in the fun on Friday by helping Cllr Bains visit 13 schools across the borough to thank pupils for taking part and see their vibrant outfits for themselves.
Cllr Bains said: ‘About 20 schools in the borough took part in the week, choosing a day to wear pink. Thousands of pupils and staff helped to raise awareness and thousands of pounds for my chosen mayoral charity, Hannah’s Holiday Home.
‘I visited 13 of them on Friday alone, it was amazing to see classrooms, fields and playgrounds washed with pink and so encouraging to know that those pupils now know about the work the charity does to help support families and their children suffering with cancer locally.’
More than £2,000 has been raised through this first fundraising event, with more expected to come in as schools count up their totals and hand it over.
Pam said: ‘It was lovely seeing all the children taking part.They were really up for it, it was really good.
‘Everyone’s been anxious about going back to school so I think it was a distraction from it all.
‘It was absolutely fabulous. It’s such a scary time for charities at the moment and for people to support us is brilliant and will really help.’
With this being just the beginning of Cllr Bains’ fundraising efforts during his mayoral term, Pam added: ‘We’re so grateful to Prad for taking us on board, it’s wonderful being his chosen charity.’