See how Alnwick town crier 'Jolly Roger' helped launch Duchess's High School Trust bid to raise £21,000

Roger Daniel, otherwise known as ‘Jolly Roger’ read a citation to help the Duchess’s High School Trust raise awareness of its appeal.

Mike Skinner, a teacher and member of the trust, said: “Our charitable trust aim to raise £21,000 in 2021. This is partly due to Covid where we want to turn this situation into something positive.

"We, as a charitable trust, are able to support the school with providing exceptional learning experiences for all students, not only after lockdown but into the future.

“We are transforming as a school into a digital learning organisation so when lockdown ends it doesn’t mean there will no longer be a need for this sort of investment in technology.

"We’re also keen, as a trust, to support the mental health and mental wellbeing of our students and the £21,000 target will help us support our students in the future.”

Funds will be used to provide laptops and digital devices for home learners and will also provide stationery, maths supplies, journals and pens as well as equipping teachers and classrooms with up-to-date technology to enable virtual teaching during the pandemic.

The Trust, which has been dormant for many years, started to rebuild its profile last year.

Working closely with the school, they have already been able to support a range of activity in 2020, including setting up a breakfast club and purchasing digital visualisers to support remote teaching in the classroom.

In the latest lockdown, the trust and DCHS have been working together to understand what support families need. The breakfast club has been extended so that every student accessing school during lockdown is benefitting and 40 laptops have already been ordered thanks to donations from Northumberland Estates, Alnwick Town Council and other local benefactors.

This is in addition to the many devices which have been donated and restored.

You can support the £21k by 2021 appeal at https://localgiving.org/appeal/21for21/ or Text DUCHESS to 70470 to donate £3 (texts cost £3 plus one standard rate message). To find out more, email [email protected].

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