The Year 5 Otter class at Marlborough St Mary’s have raised over £777 for the Rainforest Trust UK and World Wildlife Fund. Their interest in these charities and the work that they do has been encouraged by studying eco issues and South America in school.
The pupils found inventive ways to raise money. They made gift tags out of recycled used photocopy paper from school and sold them to parents and friends. With the money raised, they were able to sponsor a tiger through the WWF.
They were also able to make a donation to the Rainforest Trust. This has helped the Rainforest charity buy land in the largest remaining corridor left in the Choco Forest in West Ecuador – home to endangered species such as the brown headed spider monkey and the great green macaw.
The children also donated to the first-ever protected marine reserve in the Ivory Coast, home to four species of endangered turtles and the scalloped hammerhead shark. Through Rainforest Trust UK the children have also helped to save the critical Maya forest corridor, home to the critically endangered Central American turtle, the endangered Baird Tapir as well as the endangered Yucatan Black Howler Monkey
Further funds were raised by a sale of unwanted items – also good for recycling. This enabled them to become Koala Protectors for the WWF to help fund treatment for injured Australian animals involved in the bushfires.
Two pupils also organised their own sponsored walk in half term raising a fantastic £115 which they donated to the Rainforest emergency fund.
Becki Ambrosini, teacher at St Mary’s said, “They also donated to a really interesting project for purchasing land in Brazil to reintroduce one of the world’s rarest birds – the Spix Macaw from a captive breeding programme. The donation was also used to protect the animals who already live there – the three banded armadillo and the Northern tiger cat – both endangered. What a fantastic effort! Bravo Otter class!”
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