The Perse launches first Giving Day
The inaugural Perse Giving Day aims to raise thousands of pounds to help transform the lives of young people.
Giving Day will run from 9am on Thursday 21 April until 9pm on Friday 22 April with the aim of bringing the entire Perse community of pupils, parents, staff and alumni together to celebrate The Perse’s charitable work and raise money for the school’s bursaries and community outreach programmes.
The event honours Dr Stephen Perse’s legacy in establishing The Perse in 1615 with the mission to educate poor boys.
More than 400 years on, the school remains true to Dr Perse’s philanthropic vision by spending more than £1million each year on means-tested bursaries to enable children access to a Perse education.
Besides this, the school also runs an extensive outreach scheme involving more than 20 local primary and secondary schools and a Sixth Form college, with Perse students and staff collaborating with our partner schools to provide practical support ranging from pupil mentoring across different subjects to literacy projects.
A wide range of fundraising events and challenges will be held during Giving Day, which will run over a 36-hour period to allow the whole of the international Perse community to take part and make a difference.
In the run-up to Giving Day, £10,000 has been provided by a generous donor, who pledged this sum if the Perse community provided 1,615 items of food and vital goods to Cambridge City Food Bank.
That target was smashed with well over 2,800 items being contributed – enough to provide a three-day emergency food package for 47 families – as part of the House Charity Giveathon during the school’s recent Values Week.
Perse Head of Development Erin Charles, whose team are spearheading the campaign, said: “We are delighted to be holding the school’s first Giving Day.
“The money we raise will change the lives of so many young people – those who couldn’t otherwise afford to come to The Perse, as well as the hundreds of young people who take part in our outreach work with local primary schools. I am always amazed by the generosity of the Perse community and can’t wait to see what we achieve together.”
For more information about Giving Day and how you can get involved and raise funds, please click the button below.
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