Oriel High School welcomed us to their end-of-year celebration assembly where we had the opportunity to thank them in person for raising over £12,000 towards Crawley Foyer through their annual sponsored walk.
Student and school staff took part in a 9.5 mile to Crawley Down and back on 27 June. Family and friends sponsored the event with
great generosity, smashing their ambitious £10,000 target, to raise over £11,500. The students then pushed this amazing sum to £12,158 by donating their non-school-uniform fee following the assembly.
The school welcomed four Crawley Foyer residents – including former students of the school – along with support staff. Housing Manager Wesley Lucas presented a hand-made thank you card from the residents and briefly explained how the school community’s generosity would improve living conditions at the Foyer.
Sports coordinator Hannah Ashleigh-Morris shared that in the past, the school had chosen to support national charities. This year however, they wanted to make an impact on the local community and selected YMCA DownsLink Group’s Crawley Foyer, which currently supports three former students of the school.
For these young people returning to their old school, the experience of revisiting familiar grounds in the light of their current circumstances brought on a mix of emotions. Still, they felt it was important to show appreciation for the school’s fundraising achievement.
Crawley Foyer manager Wes Lucas said: “The significant amount raised by the school will fund not only equipment for the self-catering two-bedroom flats at the foyer but garden furniture to make the outdoor space more welcoming.
“It will even bring to life a long-held dream: setting up a pop-up outdoor cinema and acquire a karaoke machine to keep the entertainment going, whatever the weather. We are driven by offering more than a room and such additions truly make the difference between accommodation and a home.”
Enhancing the common areas nurtures the foyer’s community feel by offering focal points for the young people living in or engaged in the project: Crawley Foyer also houses a Youth Advice Centre where both residents and local young people up to age 25 can access support and advice for a wide range of wellbeing issues as well as practical matters such as education, employment and financial welfare.
Find out more about Crawley Youth Advice Centre
Inspired? Contact Lina from our Fundraising Team.
