Pupils at Tockington Manor School ended the 2023/2024 academic year full of smiles as they handed over a healthy cheque to their charity of the year, the Catalyst Foundation’s S.H.E. Programme. Fundraising efforts yielded almost £5,000 for the charity, which supports young girls in Zimbabwe and Zambia to access and flourish in education. S.H.E stands for Secure, Hope and Empowered.
“We chose the S.H.E. programme because we really believe in the work it’s doing in Africa.” Says Stephen Symonds, Headmaster at Tockington. “I firmly believe that a child cannot learn if their basic needs are not being met and it’s been an honour to try and help S.H.E do that this year.”
Fundraising activities across the year included the school’s annual Russell Run within their 28-acre grounds; a danceathon; Christmas Jumper Day; mufti days and cake sales. A large amount was also raised by the 73 pupils who took part in the Knight Frank Schools Triathlon – with those monies being split between that event’s charity, Restless Development, which supports youth empowerment, and TMS’s charity.
“We are so grateful for this donation.” Says Mayda Mapondera, CEO of Catalyst Foundation. “The community at Tockington has really come together to support our mission to empower vulnerable girls in rural communities and will go a long way towards helping us achieve our goals.” The Catalyst team hosted a handful of TMS pupils, parents and staff at their annual S.H.E. Camp in Lake Kariba in August, to show them firsthand the impact their fundraising has had.
Tockington has announced its charity for the 2024/2025 academic year as Teach Us Too, a small organisation with the goal of making sure every child is taught to read and write, regardless of their label or diagnosis.
