Year 8 have recently finished the First Give programme. Each form worked hard to fundraise money for their chosen charity and presented on their social issue with confidence and vigour. An independent panel of judges selected 8.1 as the winners. They have raised £1,153 pounds for their charity ‘Croydon Epilepsy Society’. Well done Year 8!

My First Give Experience
By Malachi Simms, Year 8

As one of the presenting students in the final, I will be telling you about my experiences of First Give.

Week one: I had to choose a charity but my team and I said to choose JAGS charity because £1,000 would help them as they are not a large charity, and they rely only on charitable donations for support.

Week two: We had to perform in front of the class and tell them why our charity should be chosen. We spoke about how we would use the money using information from JAGS when they came in and spoke to us.

Week three: We had to find ways to make money. I did a sponsored silence, planned bake sales (as a class we did four). I also did “Guess how many sweets are in the jar?” By myself I raised at least £50 but our class raised £152.83.

Week four: We had a final to win the big prize of a £1,000 donated by the Jack Petchey foundation. We went up to perform one form at a time and it was hard. When we went up, my hands were sweating. If I made a mistake I had to style it out. Croydon Epilepsy society (8.1) eventually won the money but the judges said the presentations were the best they had seen in all their years working at the school!

In conclusion, it was a fun and it showed me that it’s good to share and give to others. Everyone should have a chance to get involved with charity. In the rest of my years in Quest I will do more stuff for charity and stay in contact with JAGS to see how I can continue to help them.