Last updated 15:42, Wednesday, 19 November 2008

STUDENTS from Workington’s St Joseph’s Catholic High School won a trip to London recently to receive a prestigious award in recognition of their fundraising for CAFOD and other charities.

National education charity The Citizenship Foundation awarded St Joseph’s regional winners for the North of England for the second year running at a ceremony in the Churchill room of HM Treasury. The award was presented by Kevin Brennan MP, Minister for the Third Sector, and St Joseph’s was one of only eight schools nationally to win.

St Joseph’s has raised over £12,000 for charities including CAFOD, Macmillan Cancer Support and Food Aid, and the students have organised a committee which liaises with the rest of the school, decides on fundraising ideas and how best to allocate the money.

It was the community involvement and campaigning achievements of the Charity Committee which received special praise from Giving Nation, a project of the Citizenship Foundation that promotes and supports young people’s learning and engagement in charity and community volunteering, fundraising, social enterprise and campaigning.

Nicholas Toner, 14, from Ashfield in Workington, went to London to receive the award with his colleagues from the Committee. He said: “It was really great to come and receive the award, because it’s not just for us in the committee but the whole school – we wouldn’t be here without their support. As young people, we can’t really give very much money individually to charities, so organising big events and getting everyone involved is how we can still raise a lot and do our bit.”

Anne Lamplugh, a charity coordinator and teacher at St Joseph’s who supervises the charity committee, said: “We are very proud to be receiving this award. I continue to be impressed by the genuine sense of caring shown by the pupils and their great willingness to get involved as best they can.

“It is lovely for the youngsters to receive recognition for their work even though they do not do it for this reason.

“It is especially impressive when they give up their own time at weekends and evenings; they’ve shown real commitment and are a great example of how young people are motivated to make a difference.

“We would like to pass on our thanks to all members of the school community for their generous, ongoing support as without this we would not be able to do the work that we do.”