Year 13 Students from Kings Norton Girls’ School and Sixth Form (KNGS) are celebrating after winning the top prize at The Business Enterprise Challenge created by Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice.
The team from Kings Norton Girls School, with their award: (left to right) Jaiah, Carys, Isobelle, Monica, Nicole and Lauren.
The challenge event involved Secondary Schools and 6th Forms across Birmingham competing to raise the most funds for the Selly Oak based Hospice. The programme provided excellent opportunities for Business Studies students to work with mentors from Barclays, Snow Hill and develop their business acumen in a competitive environment.
Kings Norton Girls’ School raised an extraordinary £2143.18, almost half of the total £4472.13 raised by all schools who took part. In addition to the main prize, the girls from KNGS also took home the Judi Millward Award (named after the current President of Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice) for the quality of their strategic planning.
Year 13 student in the role of Communications Co-ordinator, Lauren Venables said: “We visited the hospice in December, at around the halfway point in the competition and seeing where the funds would eventually go really inspired us and pushed us to raise as much money as possible.”
Some of the imaginative events hosted by the team from KNGS included a whole school talent show, quiz night, Year 7 disco, and fun themed non-uniform days, including a Christmas Jumper Day and PJ’s Day.
Hamish Shilliday, Community Fundraising Manager at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, said, “We created the initiative to enable schools in Birmingham to gain additional financial skills which they can take forward in their adult life. It also helps students to understand how working with a local charity can be rewarding in terms of supporting the local community.”
Associate Assistant Headteacher Cassandra Gray who led the project at Kings Norton Girls’ School said: “I’m very proud of the students who took part, they worked extremely hard and were dedicated from start to finish. They managed to successfully juggle their planning and fundraising efforts with their 6th form commitments, which in year 13 are many.
“I’m particularly proud of how they brought the entire school community together with their fundraising activities, including all year groups, parents, staff and governors. All have benefited from the experience including the expert advice offered by Barclays staff.”