The Summer Term has seen an impressive breadth of charitable endeavours undertaken by the Marlborough community. These have raised a fantastic £41,800 and broadened awareness for very worthy causes.
The first weekend of the Summer Term is Super Sunday when, traditionally, houses raise money together for charity by organising an event or a stall. Of particular note this year: Barton Hill held a sponsored fancy dress football competition raising £982 for Wiltshire Air Ambulance; and Preshute ran 5km raising £2,835 for Check in on a Mate, a mental health awareness charity set up by Paddy McClintock (SU 2019–21), and for Marlborough Community Youth Centre.
The whole school was challenged to complete a full marathon by dribbling a hockey ball around the astro for 144.1 laps, raising more money for Check in on a Mate. Congratulations to Sarah A and Eloise B for organising this epic event which saw £2,083 raised. A number of houses and the Prefects Prom donated their Super Sunday fundraising directly to this.
The Wellbeing Ambassadors ran their annual pre-loved clothes sale for the Charlie Waller Trust, which works to support young people maintain good mental health. The sale of the clothing, generously donated by pupils and families, raised £1,700 which topped last year’s record (£400 of which was kindly contributed by Morris House from their doughnut sale).
For the tenth year running. Marlborough was proud to host the Knight Frank Schools Triathlon, the UK’s largest fundraising event for children aged 7-13. More than 1,260 children from 36 local schools swam, cycled and ran their hearts out, covering a combined distance over the day equivalent to Bristol – Barcelona, and raising a phenomenal £131,300 for Restless Development and numerous other charities chosen by the participating schools. The event was only possible thanks to the support of our Lower Sixth pupils and many members of staff who volunteered to help with the running of the day.
Congratulations to the four Lower Sixth pupils, Felix B, Max B, Henry H and Luke S, who completed the endurance challenge of the Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race and in so doing raised an amazing £4,000 for the charity Walking With The Wounded.
In advance of their Model United Nations conference, our Lower Sixth team completed a fundraising week which included the MUN Invitational Fashion Show, a Gala Auction Night for MUN parents, and running a combined 532km ultra-marathon. Alongside these main events, many pupils also took on their own independent fundraising challenges, including mountain climbs, sponsored swims, and even a 5km wheelbarrow race, showing the dedication and enthusiasm of the team. In total, they have raised a staggering £30,200 for twelve charities, each chosen by pupils because of the personal meaning and the importance of their work.
We were delighted to receive a signed and framed shirt from the Marlborough Youth Football Club Thunderbolts Disability Football squad. The College provided the squad with their distinctive orange football shirts, emblazoned with the College Crest as their sponsors, at the start of the season. The framed shirt serves as a lasting symbol of the partnership – one that has helped create more opportunities for local young people to access football in a supportive, inclusive environment.
In another new venture this year, the College was proud to provide support to Marlborough Pride which took place on Wednesday 24th June. This is the first year that the event has run in Marlborough and it was a lively and colourful event with music, ice cream, a Pride march and other activities.
Finally, over the summer a group of Elmhurst Lower Sixth will be raising money for four charities by hiking to the top of Mount Kenya. We wish them all well in tackling a climb to just under 5000m, and they have already raised a remarkable £25,000 (not included in this term’s total).
We extend our congratulations and thanks to everyone who led charitable activities, raised awareness for these causes, participated, supported or donated. Marlborough has a rich philanthropic tradition and we are proud that a sense of giving and of looking to make a difference is so strongly felt by our whole community.
