A GROUP of Year 11 students at Notting Hill & Ealing High School put creativity at the heart of their fund-raising for The Felix Project, a food distribution charity.
Inspired by World Mental Health Day last week, Rent-A-Friend, the brainchild of charity Jemima Hughes-Jarvis and Katie Marriot, aims to connect older and younger students while raising money.
Over a lunch-break, the school hall was transformed into an auction house for the launch event.
The lead auctioneer, a Year 11 student, pitched the merits and positive characteristics of several friends to encourage bids from younger year groups.
The winning bidder was then partnered with a newly-appointed Year 11 friend.
Jemima said: “We wanted something that would integrate all of the school years - and show what a supportive community we are.
“We didn't want a charity event that would only raise money, we also wanted to create an experience.
“We recalled being in the younger years at school and how we would have welcomed any form of advice from our older peers, all of whom seemed a little scary and unapproachable at the time to a Year 7.”
Sophie Johnson, who runs the Charities initiative at Notting Hill & Ealing, added: “Students are happier when they feel connected - and this is vital within the context of their wellbeing.”
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