Students make a big noise with silent auction

A group of students from Eckington School have raised a whopping £707.41 for Sheffield Children's Hospital by organising a silent auction for friends, family and students.
..
.

The idea was the brainchild of Becky and with the help of her close friends organised the event in order to raise money for the local Children’s Hospital. The girls were inspired to get involved by their friend and form member who has been in and out of the hospital throughout the year with ill health.

The girls created posters and flyers, emailed companies, sold auction slips around school at lunch times and out in the community in their own time. The highest bidder for each prize then was contacted and prizes were distributed. This involved many hours of their personal time and the school are exceptionally proud of their efforts.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We felt this would help the charity make our friend and other patients feel more comfortable and help to supply all the equipment they need, Becky commented. The charity funds many items that the NHS can’t. This make patients feel more at home in a different environment and help their recovery”.

The girls wrote to a wide range of local companies to ask for donations and prizes. Many local companies were extremely generous and supplied vouchers, gifts, and membership etc. The full list of donations can be found below. Many thanks to everyone involved in making the silent auction such a success.

Gemma Bower, Community Fundraiser from Sheffield Children’s Hospital visited Eckington to collect the money raised and thank all of the girls who were involved in the project. Gemma took the time to explain in detail to the students that their contribution would be used in 4 ways;

Specialist medical equipment will be purchased to compliment and improve facilities already provided by NHS funding. This has included MRI scanners, buzzers, etc.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Secondly the hospital environment will be improved by a project called Artfelt where patients can get involved in arts and crafts workshops and contribute to changing the physical environment of the hospital.

The donations also help towards paediatric research; the hospital is at the cutting edge of this and set up a specific research facility in 2008 helped by the Charities donations.

Finally the hospital intends to develop its facilities and hospital wards over the coming years by matching NHS funding of £20 million to upgrade hospital rooms for children and their families. This will include parent sleeping facilities and en-suite accommodation. In addition, a play space and outdoor garden facilities to further aid recovery for the patients.

I would like to thank all five students involved in this project for their determination and hard work. It truly is inspirational to see young people taking such an active role in improving the lives of their community. All the staff at Eckington School continue to be extremely impressed by the many and varied charity fund raising ideas that Eckington students have each year; we hope that our school pledges will continue to develop these ideas in the future.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Eckington School’s Mrs Moor said: “I am thrilled that this project was such a success; I look forward to hearing what the girls have in store for us in next year’s charity fund raising projects! But for now I think they deserve a well-earned rest. Well done girls!”

Thank you to the following companies who donated prizes.

Hairess hairdressers

Shakeaway Milkshake Bar

Another Level Hairdressers

Sheffield United

Beau Belle Beauty

Loaf Hairdressers

Northern Rail

Westfield Swimming Pool

Eckington Swimming Pool

Bondhay Golf Club

Clarks

Worksop Golf Club

Abbeydale Golf Club

Stocksbridge Leisure Centre

Sitwell Arms

Sheffield Wednesday

Hallows Golf Club