St George's Community Raises Over £10,000 for Local Charity at Spring Ball

A passion project by our Head Girl, Lexi, has resulted in a major donation for a local Edinburgh charity tackling homelessness and poverty. 

Lexi volunteers with Soul Food Edinburgh and suggested the organisation become a beneficiary of the school's annual Spring Ball fundraiser this year. Her idea paid off in a big way as the ball raised over £10,000 for Soul Food through donations, an auction, and a raffle. The charity provides over 2,000 meals monthly to those experiencing food insecurity in the community.

"When I first shared the idea and suggested that Soul Food be a benefactor of this year's Spring Ball, I never expected that people would be so generous and we'd raise this much money," said Lexi. "I'm grateful for the school's support, and I believe this initiative can positively impact the lives of those in need. It shows the power of community. I hope this will become a tradition at our school, inspiring more students to participate in such activities."

Jenny and Richard Cornfield expressed immense gratitude in a letter, saying, "Thank you so much to all from St George's who gave so generously to support the work of Soul Food. We were truly amazed to be told that you had raised £10,000. This is an incredible amount and will make a huge difference to us as a charity...To say that we have been completely bowled over by your incredible kindness and generosity would be an understatement!"

The Spring Ball was attended by 140 guests which included parents, alumnae, and friends of the school. The evening featured entertainment alongside the fundraising efforts for Soul Food Edinburgh.

"Along with the entertainment programme, there was an auction and raffle, offering the opportunity to win exclusive prizes while contributing to our charitable cause," said Head Mrs Carol Chandler-Thompson. "We plan to extend our involvement with the charity in future by hosting meals for their members, with pupils serving and our school caterer, Thomas Franks, donating the food."

Our catering partner Thomas Franks has launched a new charitable foundation focused on addressing food poverty in Scotland. Their Commercial Manager Margaret Fowler shared, "We found Soul Food Edinburgh, a charity we believe aligns well with our values. Coincidentally, we learned that they are the nominated charity for the school's annual ball. So we have initiated discussions to collaborate and support their cause."

Fowler added that in June, the Thomas Franks Foundation will hold an assembly at St George's to educate students about food poverty and get them involved with activities like packing and distributing food donations.

Charitable efforts and community engagement are central to our school values. In addition to fundraising, our students regularly raise awareness around causes and take personal action, such as leading sustainability initiatives like clothing swaps and walk-to-work schemes.

We encourage everyone to consider donating to our charity partner Soul Food Edinburgh.