Sheffield sixth-form students use business skills to raise money for St Luke's Hospice

The group of business-minded students from King Ecgbert School, in Dore, are taking part in the school’s version of the BBC programme ‘The Apprentice’ – they’ve named Ecgbert Angels.

Sponsored by Totley Pharmacy, the scheme aims to give the sixth-formers the chance to show how they can make their money grow on behalf of Sheffield’s only hospice.

Each one the 15 form groups have been given a £10 seed fund which, over a three week trading period between December 2 and 19, they will have to turn into as much money as possible for St Luke’s.

Designing and planning their own innovative fundraising activities, their projects cover everything from bake sales and car washing to a sponsored photo booth and dog walking.

One group is even hosting a ‘hunted’ themed activity – based on the Channel 4 series where contestants are instructed to go on the run for a period of time – in which students will have to navigate their way to a location within the school without getting caught during the dinner break.

St Luke’s Community Fundraising Assistant Morven Keay said: “It was King Ecgbert’s who approached St Luke’s, they wanted to do something for the local community being so close to the hospice.

“Just like The Apprentice, the competition aims to encourage teamwork, communication, creativity, problem solving and financial understanding. Taking part in this exciting enterprise scheme will also look great on CVs and UCAS applications and help develop essential skills for life after school.

“The money raised will go towards general unrestricted funding and will go towards the £7.5million we need to raise every year, so that’s really important.”

Year 12 student Charlotte Cooper was one of a number of form representatives who visited St Luke’s to witness some of the great palliative care the hospice staff give to terminally-ill patients on a daily basis.

“Visiting St Luke’s was amazing,” she said. “It has made me want to do so much for it just because it was so brilliant. All the staff are absolutely amazing, everyone was so happy and I just can’t believe it is charity-based. It makes you think about how they fund everything, they’ve had the hospice re-done and the fact that it is a charity blew my mind.

“We knew a lot about it but when I actually visited the hospice it was like a completely different view you got of it. It made me realise how lucky we are to have what we have, especially here in Sheffield.”

Speaking of the Ecgbert Angel’s scheme, Charlotte added: “Our form just yesterday raised £60 from a car wash and hopefully we’ll raise a couple of hundred pounds each. I think a lot of people have been influenced by this scheme, I’d love to volunteer not just at St Luke’s but other charities as well.”

Year 12 student Diyaco Shwany said: “St Luke’s are doing quite an amazing job in my opinion because they’re helping people enjoy the end of their life with their families, surrounded by the amazing cohort of staff.

“The patients can do the activities they want to do because, especially for older people, being terminally ill stops them from doing the things they enjoy and they’re not allowed to do it because of their health. St Luke’s tries to allow them to still do the things they enjoy.”

Final judging will take place in January, when there will be an Angel Award for the group that raises the most money, a Special Recognition Award for the individual who has excelled at the project and the St Luke’s Enterprise Award for the two students who deliver the best presentation on judging day.

For more information about St Luke’s Hospice visit www.stlukeshospice.org.uk