Blackpool schoolboys host family fun event to support families in Ukraine

Josh Holden and Luke Harrison, from Year 8, hosted a fun family fundraiser at South Shore Academy after organising the event from start to finish.

This included designing the posters, tickets, arranging the hot buffet, making phone calls, writing letters to gather raffle prizes from local businesses and organising a family quiz, bingo and tombola.

They worked hard to advertise the event by speaking to all year groups in assemblies, presenting to the student council and presenting to all staff in a full staff meeting and advertising on the academy’ social media channels.

Luke and Josh also worked with the resilience club and LGBTQ+ groups at South Shore Academy to create ribbon pin badges in Ukrainian colours, sold in school and on the night.

Luke and Josh said: “It was sad to see on the news so many families being separated from their loved ones. We wanted families from South Shore Academy to come together to raise money for the people of the Ukraine and understand how important spending time with your family is and that we should never take them for granted.”

The event was well supported by families from all year groups at South Shore Academy. They took part in a family quiz, tombola, rock and roll bingo, guess the name of the teddy bear.

More than £600 was raised for the Red Cross Humanitarian Crisis fund for Ukraine.

Luke and Josh thanked everyone who attended and all of the local businesses and staff who donated raffle prizes.

Miss Cheston, assistant headteacher at South Shore Academy, said: “It is wonderful to see our young people showing an awareness of global issues and taking the initiative to organise an event that will make a real difference to the lives of others. They are an inspiration and positive role models for other young people in Blackpool and around the country. We are very proud of everything they have achieved.”