Pupils in Ottery St Mary set to transform Indian school–with help from Devon housebuilder

Charity

Pupils in Ottery St Mary to transform Indian school–with help from Devon housebuilder

- 10 Oct 19

Pupils in Ottery St Mary will visit a school in India next week as part of charity work to improve living conditions – with help from a Devon housebuilder.

Bovis Homes has donated £1,000 to the group of 17 King’s School students, who leave for the Goodwill Children’s Home in Thandigudi in Tamil Nadu this weekend.

The 17 and 18-year-olds, who have raised more than £10,000 over 12 months, will improve the living quarters of the primary school children, by decorating the living and sleeping areas. They will also help to improve classroom facilities and provide equipment including pens and books, over their 12-day stay.

Pupil Naomi Gammon, 17, said: “We are so excited that, after working as a team to raise over £10,000 for Goodwill Children's Homes throughout the year, we will have the incredible opportunity to visit India and have a positive impact on the lives of the students in a more practical way."

Esmee Gregorius, also 17, added: “We are so grateful to Bovis Homes among others who have enabled us to support Goodwill, and we look forward to seeing how the money raised can truly make a difference.”

Their schoolmate Emily Hannon, 17, said that all the fundraising, which included a car wash, a quiz night, and cake sales and smoothie stalls at local school fetes, was worth it and the team had bonded well.

Alison Argent-Wenz, head of house at King’s School, who is leading the visit, said: "We cannot wait to get out there to provide much-needed support to these school children in India.

“Their facilities are a far cry from the classrooms and playgrounds we have here. Our students have worked for almost a year to raise funds for the charity, who provide care and education for destitute and orphaned children, and it will be incredible for them to see first-hand the difference that this money will make.

"As well as raising funds to support the work the charity do, we hope to be able to directly improve the accommodation and environment for the children. We want to produce a mural in the their communal area and, if we manage to raise a substantial amount, we can make lasting changes to the facilities at the school."

Faye Cooper, regional marketing manager at Bovis Homes, which has a location nearby in Ottery St Mary, called Kings Reach and Salston Grange, said: “We’re so pleased to contribute to this wonderful trip that promises to provide youngsters at Goodwill Children’s home in Thandigudi with much-needed facilities and equipment.

“We wish the King’s School pupils all the best for their visit and congratulate them on all their hard work so far.”

For more information on the work carried out by Goodwill, visit www.goodwillhomes.org.uk. To find out more about the King’s School trip and to donate, email Alison at aargent-wenz@thekings.devon.sch.uk.