Events 2009 - 2010
Thomas's Battersea's Fundraising Highlights
Thomas's Battersea adopted the CAIRN Trust as its Charity of the Year during September 2009-July 2010. The whole school community got behind the cause and a whole host of creative activities were arranged through out the year.
The year kicked off with a CAIRN Coin Trail, with pupils bringing in their pennies and laying them along a chalked route, which had been mapped out by the PTA. The trail started from London and various pit stops were made along the way e.g. Paris, Afghanistan and India before finally finishing in Kathmandu. Thomas's pupils' generosity was at its best and with many piggy banks having been raided, they had already reached Kathmandu by lunch time! The children then laid their coins along the return journey back to London.
The school also organised a Nepal Day so that the pupils could really learn about the fascinating country that they were helping. Dressed in traditional attire, pupils were greeted to a 'Namaste' in the morning by Headmaster, Ben Thomas, CAIRN Prefects and the CAIRN Team. Pupils' lessons included learning to speak Nepalese, musical and dance lessons, question time with a Gurkha soldier, prayer flag making in Art and trekking routes in Geography. A small group of pupils also helped to produce the first ever CAIRN Unicorn, the first newspaper dedicated to the charity, which made for great reading. The pupils were treated to a traditional Nepalese lunch and left school waving their Nepalese flags.
The year finished with the traditional Battersea Summer fair, but which took on a Nepalese twist. Pupils tried their hand at 'Pinning the Tail on the Tiger', 'Splatting the Yak' or 'Pinning the tusk on the Elephant'. Parents were on hand to make garland (mala's) and to adorn the girls' hands with henna. The two popular hot spots were the Nepalese dressing up corner manned by Mrs. Joanna Thomas and the Carrom tourament (traditional Nepalese board game, similar to pool but played with fingers). During the fair, a small group of children sold made postcards that they had designed as part of a project to raise further funds. Nepal had definitely made its mark at Thomas's Battersea as children left wearing bhindis and friendship bracelets.
The PTA also organised a fantastic Wine tasting evening to raise funds for the charity. Click here to read in more detail. The CAIRN Trust decided that we should end the year with a bang and invited the Band of Brigade of Gurkhas to join us at the annual Sports Day in Battersea Park. Click here to read about the Band in more detail.
The CAIRN Trust had a fantastic year partnering with Thomas's Battersea and this was only as result of the great support and generosity from Battersea parents, pupils and staff. Thank you for all that you helped us to achieve during 2009/10.
