The fundraising comedy gig came about after Kate Richardson, Acting Head of School at Noel-Baker Academy, saw a Tweet from the comedian Lucy Beaumont asking for schools to get in touch if they were interested in hosting a fundraising comedy gig to support families through the cost-of-living crisis.
As it’s been a year since the event, we decided to catch up with Kate for an update on how the money raised has been used to support students, families and the local communities in Derby.
Kate Richardson:
“The money raised has made a real difference to the lives of our students, their families, carers and the wider community here in Derby. After the comedy gig, we teamed up with The Derby Food Alliance to fund food parcels and personal care products for the community during the winter months. The Derby Food Alliance supports people in Derby who are experiencing food poverty, through food provision, signposting, education and advice.
Clothes swap shop
We also set up a Swap Shop charity shop which opens six times throughout the year where students and local families can swap or pick up items such as clothing, bedding, bags and shoes. The Swap Shop is becoming very popular and we’ve been able to use some of the funding to purchase clothes rails and storage for all the donations. Our prom dress shop was very popular earlier in the year, as many of the beautiful dresses have only been worn once so are still in excellent condition. As we all become more environmentally aware, recycling items is a fantastic way for us all to contribute to becoming more sustainable.
Continuing to help those in need
The Fund continues to help families who are struggling in the current cost of living crisis. It’s reassuring for both Noel-Baker Academy and Da Vinci Academy that we can offer some degree of support to our students.
We couldn’t have done it without the help and support of our fantastic community and local businesses who donated raffle prizes on the night. It’s been so rewarding for staff at both schools to offer practical help and support while also bringing our communities closer together.”
