Sunderland pupils smash £4,000 fundraising target to help transform lives

The pupils at St Bede’s RC Primary School in Washington have proved massive goals can be achieved when they put their minds to it.

Youngsters and staff at the Hampshire Place school took on the marathon challenge in a bid to help set up a medical centre in El Salvador and work there is now underway.

Not ones to shy away from a challenge, the school members threw themselves into a huge range of fund-raising activities, everything from cake sales to letter writing, in a bid to raise the cash.

Michelle McCormack, business manager at the primary, said everyone is hugely proud of the achievement.

She said there were doubts about whether it could be done, but everyone was really determined and with the help of the community they managed to do it.

Mrs McCormack explained: “We set ourselves a massive goal.

“On December 7, 2017 we set a huge target to raise £4,000 by December 7, 2018 to help set up a medical centre in El Salvador.

“They children were told that achieving huge dreams is always possible by taking realistic and achievable steps in a consistent and persistent manner.

“The children then began by writing letters about our project to various companies, local business were able to advertise in school for a donation and soon the staff, parents and local parishioners got involved.

“Over the year the donations came in, some small, some large and by chipping away the children were able to exceed their target and raised a magnificent amount.

“The children of St Bede’s now know they can dream big, achieve anything they want and make a significant difference in the lives of others and fulfil our school mission statement of ‘Developing mind, body, spirit and community. Living life to the full’.”

St Bede’s took part in the El Salvador project, which is run through CAFOD, the Catholic Agency For Overseas Development.

This is an international development charity and the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

It aims to help people in poverty whatever their religion or culture might be.