Praise for Grammar’s good citizens

Dec 31 2008 by Sandra Walls, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON Grammar School’s Citizenship Committee have raised more than £2000 this year and have been commended by the school for their charity work in 2008.

The committee organised and hosted a ‘Pink Day’ in October.

The school was decked with pink ribbons and everyone wore pink in order to raise money for Breast Cancer Research.

The day proved to be a massive success. Pupils produced hundreds of ribbons and raised £960 in the process.

For Children In Need, seven young men suffered in the name of Pudsey Bear as they agreed to take part in a sponsored leg-waxing.

Sixth-year pupil Kayleigh Dunn’s mother, a qualified beauty therapist, stepped up to the mark to do the job.

Crowds gathered after school to listen to the boys’ yelps and screams that filled the Octagon as their legs were stripped clean of hair.

The total raised from this event was £809 and went to support children in a variety of ways, through Children in Need.

Pupils were asked to take part in ‘Samaritan’s Purse’, the object of which was to fill boxes with essential items and donate them to the school. The boxes were then transported to poverty-stricken children throughout the world.

Teachers and school staff were given special appreciation for their commitment and support of this initiative every year.

More than 30 boxes, beautifully gift wrapped and tagged, were donated for distribution.

Many more initiatives were conducted by the school, which raised hundreds of pounds.

Pupil support teacher Aileen Goring, who is also chairman of the Citizenship Committee, was delighted with the group’s work this year.

She said: “Young people these days are so often portrayed in a negative light.

“However, the pupils of Hamilton Grammar always show a willingness to get involved in all of the citizenship and charity fundraising events that we organise.

“They care about the issues that affect both their local community and the wider global communities, and strive to make a difference.

“I am so proud of the work of the Citizenship Committee this year and look forward to continuing the good work into 2009.”