School raises over £50,000 for Sheffield Children’s Hospital

Penistone Grammar School has been involved in many projects to support Sheffield Children’s and has now begun fundraising to improve a mental health triage room in the Emergency Department.

Fundraising events have included staff taking on the challenge of a 24-hour relay. When they staged the event for the first time in 2021, staff from across the school community got involved in physical activities like night running for a slot across 24 hours.

The team undertook the challenge again last month with more staff getting involved than ever before.

Assistant principal Adam Gillett said: “Our kids absolutely love it, and even more importantly our staff absolutely love being part of the charity community.”

The relay started with the throwing of a toilet roll – Penistone’s creative solution for a baton.

The first hour of the relay was completed by the school’s combined cadet force – it is one of very few state schools in the country to have its own cadet force – who ran on treadmills, supported by their troop leader.

Staff members then ran, walked, hoola hooped, rowed, completed HIIT classes and played cricket to complete the 24-hour relay.

So far they have raised £3,000 in 2023, getting them closer to their target of £5,000 for the triage room.

Fundraising for the mental health triage room has been a joint effort between the school and the organisation Minds Ahead, a social enterprise focused on the improvement of mental health support in schools.

Mr Gillett, who works closely with Minds Ahead to better improve support at the school, said: “One of the things we’re aware of is the rise of mental health issues amongst young people and having that room there is so important.”

The school has supported several campaigns including fundraising for a new 3T scanner, the Cancer and Leukeamia Ward, and the helipad that is currently being built at the hospital.

The Children’s Hospital Charity community fundraising manager Lucy Cain said: “We are so grateful for everything Penistone Grammar School have done for the Charity. I have had the pleasure of working closely with them throughout my time at the Charity and their dedication and support is inspiring.”

Students and staff alike have contributed to their fundraising efforts. The school has a fundraising initiative known as 30 in 30. This is where each tutor group must try to raise £30 in 30 days for Charity.

By doing this the students are responsible for their own fundraising and often raise much more than £30. Activities include cake sales, sponsored silences, and writing comic books.

Penistone Grammar School’s fundraising has supported Sheffield Children’s in providing the world-class care that it does. Having reached £50,000, the school has made a lasting legacy of change at the hospital.

To support Penistone’s fundraising visit their justgiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/minds-ahead

To find out more about The Children’s Hospital Charity visit their website: https://www.tchc.org.uk/