Fundraising for engineering students

[Katy PurvisParticipant @katypurvis79544]

[Katy PurvisParticipant @katypurvis79544]

I have asked permission from Neil and Diane to post this. so I hope you won't mind the slight intrusion, but I felt that some of you might be interested in this.

I am trying to help raise some money for a local school in a deprived area who want to take a group of children to Boston to visit and work with MIT and Harvard. This isn't my children's school, but my youngest daughter attends their free Coder Dojo sessions each month, where children can learn CAD, programming, laser cutting, 3d printing, drone flying, lego robotics and more. I know this isn't strictly model engineering, but I think some of you would agree that it is brilliant to help the girls and boys at the school to develop science and engineering skills, and these children in particular are being strongly encourage to aim to become engineers in the future. They are lucky that the school is so focused on these areas, but are not so lucky in that they are generally deprived financially and socially, so this is a very good opportunity for them.

I would like to share the link for fund raising, and anyone who donates 50p or more will be rewarded by a fabric postcard made by me. On Popular Patchwork's forum ( i am web editor there as well as the web developer for mytimemedia), we would normal make a raffle quilt and sell tickets. I haven't time to make a quilt, but I thought this idea might raise a tiny bit. You'll need to PM me or email me to tell me that you've donated and to let me know your address, as I won't know otherwise. I'm on holiday next week, but I will endeavour to send your reward (?) postcard asap.

This is the link to donate, 

And this is a bit about the project…

We are students from Beamont Collegiate Academy in Warrington. Our school is a centre of Excellence for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. We are the only high school in the UK to hold the prestigious STEM assured quality mark.>>>>

However, our school is in one of the most deprived areas in the country.

In September we will travel to Boston, USA for an inspirational, aspiration-raising working trip to look at the best STEM facilities in the World.

The money you donate will support those children who could not afford to take this opportunity without financial help.

We have been handpicked for our outstanding ability in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and we will be immersed in the world of STEM for 8 days.

We will be working with:
Harvard University, the worlds foremost STEM university,
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) ,
Engineers from the global company iRobot and Lowell, who developed the Mars rover.
Marine Biologists to study Ecology in the north Atlantic Ocean.

We have been endlessly trying to raise the £10,000 needed for this trip. The school is generously supporting us and so far we've held bake sales, assisted shoppers with their packing at weekends, ran our own café during Coderdojo events at the academy and organised draws to win a number of hampers.

The opportunity for us as students to make this trip is truly life changing but now we need help to raise the remaining money needed.

Any donations from 50p to £500 will help ensure the brightest of futures for our students and provide Warrington with a wealth of scientists, engineers and mathematicians in the future.

We thank you in advance for your generosity and look forward to sharing the experiences of our trip with you.

Edited By Katy Purvis on 13/06/2016 12:05:17

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

I knew Warrington well family there until recently – never described it as deprived though – seems to be generally thriving now tho most of old industries (wire, files(Peter Stubbs), tanning + chemicals) have gone and been replaced by transport firms + new industries out at Birchwood) – is Beaumont what I knew as the old tech school near the Barracks midway between the old Sec Moderns + the well established Grammar school in status in the 11+ days

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Frances, that's a very disappointing recomment and unfair to Katy.

There are significant areas of deprivation in almost every local authority area in the UK.

For the record, the area of Warrington that this school is in the 3% most deprived areas of England.

I hope your comments don't discourage people from supporting this initiative.

Neil

[Katy PurvisParticipant @katypurvis79544]

Hi Frances, I'm not sure if Beaumont is the old tech school, it is practically on the same site as the old Warrington FE collage, now Warrington Collegiate, on Long Lane in Orford. I have friends who went there when it was a comp, but I don't know about further back than that.

You're right, Warrington is not all deprived at all, but the catchment for the school is. I support what the school is doing, partly because my daughter has had access to some amazing technology, teachers and encouragement through their Saturday sessions. These are free and open to anyone, including children who live in the 'nicer' parts of Warrington, and who attend 'better' schools. The school doesn't want to charge for these sessions, so that as many children as possible can attend, so I have a direct debit set up to pay what I feel I ought to be charged each month, which is going towards the school trip.

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

I lived within 200yrds of it for many years – ok late victorian terraced housing mostly without gardens but at that time the housing stock (judging by my school friends) was better than the houses I’ve seen go for well over ?350k in South east England now – at that time it was a relatively high density low-rise strong working class area but with a large park 100 yrds away – some of housing in that area was built in late 50’s and seemed good quality council housing semidetached stock to me – something must have changed in last 20 years – maybe all the ‘go ahead’ types must have moved possibly to the Warrington new town 3 miles away in Birchwood – ok its not the place I knew as a child but on many return journeys until say a decade or so ago I would never classify it as deprived but if you say it is I’ll accept it.

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

our posts crossed (maybe I should always renew before posting but that logs me out!)
sounds as tho it moved about a mile or so – Long Lane was if my memory is correct on edge of the large post war council housing estate – parts of this did have a poor reputation even then but not an area I knew well.

I’m surprised given the companies on nearby Birchwood and the proximity of Manchester + Liverpool Universities with excellent reputations that a similar week-long course could not be organised for considerably less money – however no doubt all will enjoy the trip

Edited By Frances IoM on 13/06/2016 15:47:39

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