Double donations: Alnwick mayor supports school charity as they aim to raise and double £4k in one week

BOOST supports Duchess’s Community High School (DCHS) by providing mental well-being activities and counselling to students who need it most.

As part of the Big Give Christmas challenge, BOOST set out the determined goal to raise £4,000 in one week, from the 3rd-10th December, whereby any donation up until this point will be doubled.

This will hopefully see the charity raise an impressive £8,000 to support young people’s mental health through providing activities and important resources to the school.

Alnwick Mayor Geoff Watson said: "Money raised through the appeal will be doubled – what a great opportunity to help the BOOST charity that does so much to help local youngsters, please consider supporting this initiative."

James Wilson, Co-Headteacher at DCHS, says, "Boost plays a significant role in supporting our most vulnerable students, whether that be through the hardship fund or by offering up opportunities that wouldn't otherwise be afforded to them.

“What Boost does is to give everyone an equal playing field - removing barriers to learning and giving every student the chance to achieve. Ultimately school funds are school funds and everyone knows they're a bit stretched, by working with Boost we can provide additional opportunities that would normally not be possible in school.

"The money raised through the Christmas Challenge will provide targeted well-being activities for students who need extra support. For most of our students, there is nowhere else that they can access this.”

Katherine Williams, BOOST chair, explains: “This is probably the most ambitious fundraiser we have ever run, but it is also the most important one.

"We are raising funds to pay for specialist counselling and other targeted activities, to be provided in school, for the students who need it most.”

The Big Give are a a charity who offer match funding campaigns for the unique opportunity for no-profit organisations to double their donations.

BOOST confirmed that they have raised £6000 so far for the mental wellbeing of students at the school.