Kind-hearted students put their thinking caps on and came up with novel ways to support two special charities.
The initiative was organised by Diss High School’s sixth form committee and resulted in £2,500 being donated to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
Students organise a festive fundraiser every year and are long-time supporters of EACH, with December’s success taking their overall total to £33,800.
In addition, they also handed over a cheque for £1,000 to mental health charity Mind.
Staff members got in the spirit and there were fundraisers based on TV hits Taskmaster and I’m a Teacher… Get Me Out of Here!
The latter included eating challenges and drinking “unpleasant-looking” smoothies.
There were laughs aplenty during a popular staff karaoke session while fun-loving students staged their own version of Aladdin.
There was also a band night, Business BTEC students organised a charity auction and quiz and 22 sixth formers took part in a sponsored walk around Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve.
“These events were predominantly organised by our sixth form students and then others paid to attend in their lunchbreaks,” said teacher Elizabeth Hughes.
“It was a busy, tiring but fun week and I can’t fault their enthusiasm and positivity.
“They worked so hard to make it a success and clearly enjoyed themselves.
“There were big smiles throughout and to see everything come together in the manner it did was very rewarding for them.
“They felt proud of themselves and rightly so. They did amazingly well.”
The Taskmaster element was a first for the school.
Some of the challenges were pre-recorded and shown on screen, with other ‘live’ ones taking place on stage.
“There was so much planning and communication,” added Miss Hughes.
“The pre-recorded films were genuinely impressive and put together so well.
“It was a great opportunity for the students to showcase their filming and editing skills and an example of one of the tasks was having to get a basketball through a hoop, without using your hands. They used all kinds of random items, like masking tape, hockey sticks and a stepladder.
“The on-stage challenges included things like decorating themselves with various props – then the audience got to vote for their favourite by cheering the loudest.
“It was a lovely week to be part of and there was a great feeling of community throughout the whole school.
“The students know times are tough, so were overjoyed to raise as much as they did.
“They learnt a lot about the way things work in life, showing real independence, and it’s nice to reflect upon and celebrate their achievements.”
