Following the hugely successful pantomime put on by sixth form students at St John’s Academy over two nights last December to raise money for three local causes, representatives of the charities have met the students and received their cheques.
The production of ‘Alice in Wonderland – the Panto’ was entirely directed and produced by the St John’s International Baccalaureate Diploma students and had a cast of sixth form students and teachers. Both nights had big audiences and the students raised over £2,000.
The three charities that benefited from the pantomime are the Prospect Hospice Savernake Appeal, Wiltshire MIND, and Wiltshire Young Carers. The charities were chosen by the IB students, who were keen to support local causes.
Cora Gallagher from Wiltshire Mind, Prospect Hospice’s Marlborough area Fundraiser Mike Kennedy, and Sharon Wooley from Wiltshire Young Carers, each received a cheque for £700 from the pantomime directors.
Mike Kennedy from Prospect Hospice talked about the new unit at Savernake Hospital and invited the students to tour the new facility when it opens in the autumn. Sharon Wooley from Wiltshire young Carers told students how their donation would enable the charity to run two summer sessions for young carers. And Cora Gallaher from Wiltshire MIND explained how the charity runs on a small budget and how they plan to use the donation to help make a video to promote the charity.
International Baccalaureate students are required to complete a minimum of 150 hours non-academic CAS (Creativity, Action and Service) activities and for the St John’s IB students involved in the production, ‘Alice in Wonderland – the Panto’ has become part of their final qualification when they leave St John’s next summer.
L-r: Sharon Wooley (Wiltshire Young Carers), Miles Whittaker (St John’s Acting Principal), Olivia Snell, Sophie Anstee de Mas, Helena France (Panto Directors), Mike Kennedy (Prospect Hospice), Cora Gallagher (Wiltshire MIND.)
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