We are delighted that Francis Holland, Sloane Square and Francis Holland Prep have been named joint finalists, out of hundreds of entrants, for the School House Charitable Work Champion Award 2024. This is testament to the enthusiasm, imagination and dedication of our outreach teams, our Senior and Prep Parents’ Associations and our pupils, parents, staff and wider Francis Holland community.
Our Head of Outreach, Will Galloway, said:
“It is fantastic to be named as a finalist for the Charitable Work Champion Award, which is in recognition of the great work done by our pupils to support our charity partners via fundraising and volunteering. We are proud of our special relationships with our charity partners, both local and international, which mean our pupils gain valuable and unique experiences and insights into the important roles that charitable organisations play in our community and society.”
Our schools’ motto is ‘May our daughters become the cornerstones of the temple’. Pupils are encouraged to ‘be the difference’ in society and develop a lifelong desire to serve and support others. Community volunteering is undertaken by every pupil, culminating in the Lower Sixth where students complete two terms of weekly volunteering placements – over 1000 hours annually. Feedback has been excellent, with LVIs recently commenting, “Almost every week there’s a child crying and we help them communicate their emotions with the person they fell out with” and “I’m learning a lot about leadership and how to act around those who are much younger than me”.
Pupils, parents and staff raise thousands of pounds each year for local charities by organising Christmas fairs, talent shows, fashion shows, sponsored sporting challenges, and much more. As well as longstanding commitments to local charities In-Deep and Katherine Low Settlement, and the ongoing sponsorship of four students at Mvumi School, Tanzania, girls regularly organise and lead fundraising and awareness campaigns in response to international crises, as well as other issues closer to home. Francis Holland Prep also plays a key role in our charitable endeavours with plenty of vibrant annual events, including the legendary Charity Dog Show!
Our outreach programmes are just as integral to the wellbeing of our entire FHS community as they are to the communities we support. All charity events are student-led and seek to foster creativity, enterprise, independence and collaboration. Girls are conscious of their duty to show compassion and kindness to those in need of support, and in-doing-so develop an unrivalled sense of fulfilment as they begin to understand the huge positive impact they can have others’ lives.
Thank you so much to everybody who contributed to this wonderful achievement, and to School House for recognising our programme. We look forward to the winners being announced in October, and to another outstanding year of outreach in 2024-25.
Watch the video below for a recap on some of the exciting outreach activities that took place in 2023-24.
