On Friday, 3 October, students from Badminton School visited Ronald McDonald House Bristol, to donate the funds raised by staff and pupils during the school’s Summer Charity Week. Over £2,000 was raised through various events in school, as well as by a team of staff who ran the Great Bristol Run in May for the charity.
During the visit, the students were presented with a Tree Token, a symbol of appreciation and recognition for the contribution made through the school’s fundraising activities. The school’s donation will help Ronald McDonald House continue its mission of offering free accommodation and a supportive environment to families with children receiving care at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.
Ronald McDonald House Charities was founded by Dr Audrey Evans, a pioneering paediatric oncologist and Badminton alumna who attended the school before the Second World War. This historic connection added special significance to the school’s fundraising efforts and her legacy continues to inspire Badminton’s commitment to charitable giving and community engagement.
Ericka Heron, Community Fundraiser at Ronald McDonald House Bristol, said: “We are so grateful to the students and teachers at Badminton School. Their support is incredibly valuable to us as a charity, and this generous donation will pay for the equivalent of 68 nights’ free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for a family with a child in hospital.
We were particularly inspired by the teachers’ commitment to training for the Bristol 10k and the students’ organisation and creativity with their fundraising week. It was so lovely to show the students around our Bristol House and for them to learn more about the legacy of former Badminton student, the late Dr Audrey Evans.”
