Community Work
Red January and Red Mile Awareness and Fundraising
Initiated 5 years ago, Red January was a chance for the SCC community to do new activities to raise awareness and fundraise for the mental health charity MIND.
Aims: There have been new activities each year to keep this issue fresh and relevant to the school community. We fundraise periodically for the charity and regularly promote its work through activities and school campaigns.
Background: Mental health is important part of the school curriculum and students are encouraged to show compassion for the needs of others.
Resources: Red Mile - weekly walk at lunchtime - 3 staff members and 5-10 students/per week
Red January campaigns include staff individual fundraising and sharing experience of daily exercise for mental health awareness.
School community fundraiser example in 2020 - £750 raised for the the 'Memory Tree'. Staff purchased hearts and stars made by the art department and wrote messages on them to loved ones they were unable to see at Christmas due to the lockdown. These were hung on two lilac trees and lit by fairy lights at the front of the schools.
Impact: £750 fundraiser last year. Student surveys showed good resilience in lockdown period
Pupil Involvement: Varies - all involved in campaigns. Red Mile invitation to all. 5-10 students attend weekly
Frequency: Ongoing. January campaigns
Odd Sock Day campaigns
This is a fun annual school activity to raise awareness and funds for the Anti-Bullying Alliance.
Aims: Prep school and Senior school explored anti-bullying in lessons, activities and assemblies. Last year all students and staff were invited to take part in Odd Sock Day, as a fun way to take a stance against bullying.
This event is designed to encourage us to express ourselves and celebrate our individuality. Students encouraged to wear odd socks which can be as bold or bright as they like. The suggested donation for this was £1 per participant in order to allow the Anti-Bullying Alliance to continue with their fantastic work
Background: Prep school have been doing Odd Sock campaigns over many years.
There is a strong anti-bullying culture within the community and this is part of an annual pastoral programme.
Resources: Whole school involvement
Impact: Odd Sock Day - £1,024.55
Pupil Involvement: Whole school - 750
Frequency: Annual
CCF March & Shoot Fundraiser
The St Columba's College contingent organised this sponsored exercise which took place on a weekend in November. This raised money for the poppy appeal which could not take place under covid restrictions. It involved 50 cadets marching around the school grounds followed by an air rifle shoot. Over £2000 was raised and its success means it will continue in the coming years.
Aims: A purposeful cadet experience and fundraiser for a good cause
Background: Unable to sell poppies in the usual way at school, therefore charity event organised to raise funds for British Legion.
Resources: CCF personnel, school field set up, 9 staff volunteers, 50+ students.
Impact: £2000 for British Legion in a challenging fundraising year
Pupil Involvement: Yr 8 - 6th Form
Frequency: Began 2020 and annual event for the foreseeable future
CAFOD Campaigns
St Columba's College is a leading school fundraiser for the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) and actively promotes its campaigns for social justice within the school curriculum.
Aims: Long term partnership with CAFOD, fundraising and supporting campaigns over many years. Fundraising supports the world's poorest communities. Over £70,000 has been raised over the past decade.
Background: School has close connections with staff based at the Diocese of Westminster office, Cockfosters, for the past decade. We have been used for guest speakers and often brought students to them for training. CAFOD volunteers come to our annual school fayre and occasionally present workshops. We have had many exciting fundraisers, including world record attempts and sponsored cycles.
Resources: CAFOD feature in our pastoral programme.
Impact: Examples include:
- Ten of thousands raised over several years.
- Supported campaigns on climate change, lobbying parliament
- Annual simple meal - ran for 10 years
- Annual cycle in Herts - ran for 14 years (suspended recently)
Young Leaders Programme with other schools - sharing good practice via videos and seminars.
Pupil Involvement: All of Senior school involved in learning about campaigns and invited to take part.
Frequency: Ongoing engagement in social justice campaigns
Celebration of mass of the Catholic community
Br N, a Brother of the Sacred Heart, who is resident at St Columba's College, often helps the local priest when they are ill or special occasions.
Br N has been an ordained Brother for 5 decades.
Aims: Catholic ministry in local parishes
Background: Br N has lived between Rome and St Albans over the past 20 years. When resident in St Albans he supports local parishes.
Impact: Supporting the community in parishes that are short of clergy
Frequency: Irregular but ongoing
Fred Hughes 10 Mile Race
The college is used as the Headquarters for the annual Fred Hughes 10 Mile Race. In excess of 800 runners use the facilities to prepare and cool down for the race.
Aims: Promoting athletics across the county. £750 raised
Background: Sports Dept have held county meetings at the school over many years
Resources: Use of school grounds, dining room, Coindre Hall and changing Rooms
Impact: Promoting athletics across the county
Frequency: Annual - January
Open Door Homeless Shelter Campaigns
SCC has a long tradition of supporting Open Door, a local homeless shelter in the town. The main annual fundraising event is a School SleepOut, taking place in March each year. Students from all years engage in workshops and reflections on the theme of homelessness, before spending the night making a cardboard city in the ground of the school. In recent years over 100 students have attended, raising thousands of pounds for the shelter. Students visit the centre to deliver the money. In lockdown, there was a virtual SleepOut with students setting up camp at home.
Aims: Raising awareness and compassion for those in most need in the local community through workshops, reflections and an immersive experience.
Older students have enjoyed this tradition for many years and are the ambassadors of the cause to the younger students. They promote it and deliver many aspects of the sleepout event.
Open Door has been running since 1993 and with the help of the St Albans’ community, has supported thousands of people who have experienced homelessness and been at risk of sleeping rough. The Charity funds improvements to the Open Door shelter, as well as covering the costs of outreach services and the volunteer coordinator.
Background: SCC has a long tradition of helping Open Door
Resources: The whole school site is used for the SleepOut event one weekend each year
£3000 raised last year (2019)
£500 virtual (2021)
Impact: Open Door website testimony:
"The Open Door Charitable Trust has been the vehicle for many specialist projects to help the homeless in St Albans. From funding the local outreach worker, to providing additional bed spaces during cold winter weather, the Trust quietly works behind the scenes. “The impact of this work is enormous. They help shape our local response to rough sleeping, and support innovative ways for the local community to engage in this important issue. Whether its funding, resources, expertise, or industry knowledge, the Trust forms an integral part of the local response to rough sleeping".
Housing Options Team Leader as St Albans City and District Council
Pupil Involvement: 100+ boys across all ages (11-18) per SleepOut, plus 10 staff.
Frequency: Annual event and ongoing fundraising.
Lenten Food bank Campaigns
Each Lent the whole school collects items for local foodbanks. Our Sixth Formers visit the foodbanks and distributions centres, present whole school assemblies to promote the campaigns, coordinate the counting and labelling of items, then arrange their delivery to the local foodbanks. The school collect 0.85 tonnes in 2017, 1.1 tonnes in 2018 and 1.4 tonnes in 2019 - an outstanding community effort. In 2020 lockdown, the school began with donation but then switched to financial donations, raising over £1000. No campaign in 2021.
Aims: Meeting a very real need many many families in the local area.
SCC identified shortage items at local foodbanks.
Background: Borehamwood foodbank invited the school to support the growing problem of local families struggling to live on low pay and zero contract employment.
2019, this was the Cardinal's (Nichols) annual appeal. SCC was invited to the launch.
Resources: School foyer became the storage and display space for the many items collected by students.
- About 10 Sixth Formers coordinate the appeal each year
- Staff support them in counting and labelling items.
- Minibuses are used to transport items to foodbank
Impact: 1.4 tonnes (2019) of items provided hundreds of emergency packs for families in need.£1000 raised in 2020, plus approx 0.3 tonnes collected
Pupil Involvement: Whole school support for the campaign. Older students run a competition and younger students help weigh and label.
Frequency: 3 weeks each Lent. Whole school appeal began in 2017 and will continue for many years.
Herts Rugby Football Union AGM Hosts
RFU AGM always held at our school
Aims: AGMs to coordinate and promote rugby competitions and standards within the county
Resources: Catering and large classrooms provided. Staff planning of event.
Impact: Ensuring all schools are up to date with contemporary issues and competitions are coordinated efficiently.
Frequency: Annual - once per year.
Homestart Fundraising
Sixth Form and Staff undertake various fundraising projects for HomeStart, a St Albans-based charity supporting children in their early years and their families.
Most recent event was Christmas Jumper Day fundraising Dec 2020. The majority of students took part.
Aims: An example is a project that raised £1035. This covers the cost of a volunteer mentor to support a family for 9 Months.
It is important for our Sixth Form students to engage in local community projects.
Background: Some former SCC staff (JL) know staff working at HomeStart and recognise it as a fantastic charity in the local community.
Resources: Christmas Jumper Day fundraising Dec 2020
Staff + resources for Sleighride collection
20+ students joined the Sleighride fundraiser.
60+ Sixth Form performed for the school. Bucket collection
All staff, Sixth Form and prep school (80+ staff) had a Christmas jumper day on the last day of term.
Impact: Funds raised covers the cost of a volunteer mentor to support a family for 9 Months.
Pupil Involvement
20+ boys joined the Sleighride fundraiser.
60+ Sixth Form performed for the school. Bucket collection
All staff, Sixth Form and prep school (80+ staff) had a Christmas jumper day on the last day of term.
Frequency: This was the first fundraising campaign prior to Christmas. It is intended to be an annual project and established as one of our house/Sixth Form charities.
Harry - Krish Mootoosamy Fest
The school provides facilities for Festival and Car Parking. To date, the charity has raised over £7500.
Aims: All proceeds will go towards supporting terminally and critically ill children with music therapy and we will continue supporting awareness of Pancreatic Cancer.
Background: Harry was a pupil at the school. The charity http://www.moo2.co.uk is in his honour.
St Columba’s alumnus Harry-Krish Mootoosamy was 39 when he lost a short battle with pancreatic cancer in 2014, leaving behind three children in St Albans.
The organisation, which is currently applying for charitable status, performs music to terminally ill children and supports pancreatic cancer research.
Resources The school provides facilities for Festival and Car Parking. Two staff required.
Impact: A fantastic cause. They fund music projects run by established charities who support critically and terminally ill children- they provide specialist music therapy in a variety of ways, to bring benefits to the emotional and physical well being of these children. They also campaign for awareness of Pancreatic Cancer.
Frequency: Annual festival and ongoing fundraising
Annual Crisis Fundraising
Crisis was the chosen charity for two of our houses this year. The Christmas social for parents and students raised £1400.
Background: SCC has always explored ways to support homeless charities. For many years Sixth Form students visited Crisis warehouses in their Christmas holidays, helping with sorting clothes and fundraising on the streets. Since Crisis tends to use corporate companies for such bucket collection fundraising these days, SCC is exploring new ways to engage with the charity, ushc as this event.
Resources: School dining hall and gym. £1400 was the last fundraiser
Impact: This money equates to 50 homeless people being off the streets at Christmas
Pupil Involvement: 11-18 - social event. Approx. 60 involved in social
Frequency: Annual tradition to raise awareness of Crisis' work.
St Albans Half Marathon - medals and finishing line station
St Columba's College provides many volunteers to pack/sort medals prior to the event and distribute water/t-shirts and medals at finishing line throughout race day. About 8000 runners take part each year in a community running event which focuses fundraising for local charities.
Aims: The half marathon organiser requested support from local charities and groups. The school's close proximity meant it is in an ideal position to support this community event. We were able to provide gazebos and tables for the finishing station. The school car park hosted hundreds of cars (donations going to the Project Respond - see below) providing easy access to the start line for runners. Over 50 school staff and parents helped out on the day of the event, manning the station between 8am - 3pm. Parents and students helped pack/sort medals at Westminster Lodge athletics track prior to race day. With 8000 runners the medals station required lots of willing and able volunteers.
Background: SCC has run the finishing line station for several years. Each year the numbers participating gets bigger.
Resources: Tables, gazebos, and many staff, students and parents
Impact: Note, car-parking was charged and water went to charities such Project Respond - £600, CAGOD £200, Earthworks - £250
See website for the many local charities that benefit from fundraising:
Pupil Involvement:
- 10-15 CCF / House students car-parking, plus toilet access
- 30+ boys helped at medals station
- 5 boys helped with medal packing
- 50+staff and parents ran the finishing line station
Frequency: Annual - June. Several years.
Chamber Choir at Fonthill House Nursing & Care Home
Our Upper Prep Chamber Choir perform a range of Christmas Carols at Fonthill House, providing opportunity for the residents to join in.
Aims: Entertain the residents whilst providing a Carol concert experience to those who are unable to travel from the care home. Provide opportunity for our pupils to socialise with the residents.
Background: Our school made contact with the care home when it was first opened and we have been leading a Christmas Carols morning with them every December since.
Resources: Our Prep music department transport all the musical equipment required and provide the Carol booklets for the residents. The Prep Music Subject Leader and Music Assistant lead the carols whilst another two members of staff walk the pupils to the care home and support throughout.
Impact: The Carols take place every December and is well received by the residents each year. Our pupils benefit from performing and socialising with the residents.
Pupil Involvement: 20 KS2 pupils from our Prep school.
Frequency: 90 minute Carol Concert every year.
Reds4Veds
Due to a school link with the charity, our whole Lower Prep took part in a range of activities to help raise both money and awareness for this rare condition.
Aims: To help raise money and awareness of this rare condition.
Background: We have a personal connection to the charity through our Prep school.
Resources: School resources to carry out a range of charity activities, all supported by our parent community.
Impact: All pupils and families were made aware of this charity whilst managing to raise a sum of money.
Pupil Involvement: All KS1 pupils.
Frequency: One week each year for the last three years.
Lower Prep Choir at Fonthill House Nursing & Care Home
Our Lower Prep Choir perform a range of Christmas Carols for the residents at the care home.
Aims: Entertain the residents at the care home and provide an opportunity for them to socialise with our younger pupils.
Background: We made contact with the care home when it first opened and have been performing every year since.
Resources: Our Lower Prep teacher uses school resources to lead the performance whilst another three members of staff transport the pupils and support throughout.
Impact: The residents have been extremely positive every year that we have performed.
Pupil Involvement: 20 Lower Prep pupils.
Frequency: A 60 minute performance every December.
Prep Lenten Service Appeal
All Prep pupils carry out a range of service initiatives and collect donations throughout the period of Lent. All donations are given to the Catholic Children Society.
Aims: To raise money for the Catholic Children's Society whilst educating our pupils to the importance of service to the community.
Background: The Lenten Appeal has taken place for the last three years, supporting the Catholic Children Society for the last two years.
Resources: Assembly and tutor time in school in addition to a range of service opportunities for the pupils. Active participation and donations from our entire Prep school community.
Impact: The appeal has grown in status each year and has managed to raise money for charity.
Pupil Involvement: Over 200 Prep school pupils each year.
Frequency: The period of Lent each year.
Prep Harvest Appeal
The whole Prep community donate food and resources for the Borehamwood Foodbank throughout a two week focus upon Harvest.
Aims: Raise awareness as well as supply resources for the Borehamwood Foodbank. Help our pupils understanding of helping those in need.
Background: Our Harvest appeal has been running for a number of years and has supported the Borehamwood Foodbank for the last two years.
Resources: School community donations.
Impact: Support Borehamwood Foodbank in allowing them to provide for those in need.
Pupil Involvement: All Prep pupils contribute to the Harvest Appeal.
Frequency: Harvest Appeal takes place every October and has supported the Borehamwood Foodbank for the last two years.