GOING, GOING….SCHOOLGIRL AUCTIONEERS WIN TRIP TO INDIA

A group from Francis Holland School in South-West London has scooped first prize in an Award Scheme run by the Wings of Hope Charity. The girls, all aged fourteen or fifteen, were presented with their prize by Bollywood Star, Shamila Tagore, at an awards ceremony in a London hotel on Saturday evening. The girls will travel to Chennai in India to visit a school sponsored by the charity and will see at first hand how the money that they have raised will help those less fortunate than themselves.

Anouska d’Abo, Malika Hemnani, Eleanor Matthews, Jade Nabulsi, Matilda Thaddeus-Johns and Amy Webster held an auction at school and even persuaded Tracey Emin to design a mug for them as they raised a staggering £10,500.

The Wings of Hope Award Scheme was launched in 2005 to encourage young people to set up their own fund raising projects for the charity. Schools across England are now taking part and projects have ranged from balloon races and ‘raves’ to car washing and cake sales. Participants have the opportunity to make a presentation on their project to a distinguished panel in a Committee Room at the House of Lords. This year’s panel included Sir David Jason (‘Del Boy’), Lord Dholakia, cricketing legend Mansur Ali Khan as well as leading figures from sponsoring companies like Saatchi and Saatchi.
The girls from Francis Holland School were inspired to take part in the project after seeing a film at school about the Wings of Hope’s work with underprivileged children in both India and Malawi. As fifteen year old Mattie said at their auction: ‘The reason we have put so much hard work and effort into this evening’s event is because we know that there are so many children who are denied the opportunities and experiences that we take for granted. This has motivated us so much that this evening we’d love to raise enough money to help change their lives forever.’
A second group from Francis Holland School won the prize for the most innovative project. Alex Burke-Smith, Alexia Galitzine, Ayesha Issadeen, Salome Parayre, Rachel Swindon, Imogen Trice and Jasmin Wharmby raised over £2000 from a night of songs and dances from the musicals.
Susan Pepper,
Deputy Head,
Francis Holland School, 39 Graham Terrace, London SW1W 8JF
020 7824 5001
020 7730 2971
sp@fhs-sw1.org.uk

Wings of Hope,
York House, Empire Way, Wembley Park, Middlesex, HA9 0PA
020 8733 1551
rajni@thewingsofhope.org