Category: Charity
Observing the Harvest Festival
19th October 22
During October we enjoyed observing the Harvest Festival as many Finton families showed great generosity by donating food and supplies to help the most vulnerable.
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Miss Maria’s Summer Volunteering with Charity ASU
13th September 22
Miss Maria, one of our Reception Class Assistants, had a busy summer volunteering with the charity ASU.
Over the summer holidays, Miss Maria travelled to Burundi with sixteen other volunteers to volunteer for 3 weeks with the charitable organisation ASU. During this time she ventured to three different cities, with most of her time spent between two locations. The first location was a university in Ngozi where she and her fellow volunteers taught a professional skills course to adults aged 18 and above. In the afternoons they organised a summer camp for local children with activities like football, dancing, face painting and bracelet making.
The second location was Kirundo where they lived in one of the Mother Theresa of Calcutta’s homes helping with the unique work carried out by the sisters. These homes were opened all around the world by her congregation, the order of the Misionares of Charity, and they are dedicated to the poor – this includes orphaned children, those with disabilities or mental health issues, the sick and the elderly.
We sent Miss Maria with 40kg worth of our unused exercise books (with our old logo or from remote learning) which were gratefully received by a local school.
Miss Maria said “It was the best trip of my life. I hope that I can return, as it has given me so much perspective about my life here in London and the lives of our children here at Finton. I firmly believe that this is an experience that everyone should have within their lifetime.”
To see the photos on Instagram, click here.
Finton House Joins the Launch of #FightingForBreath
8th March 22
On Monday 28 February, pupil and staff representatives from Finton House joined the launch of Asthma + Lung UK’s new campaign: #FightingForBreath.
Year 5 pupil Sophia is a British Lung Foundation young ambassador. The organisation, which has recently joined Asthma UK to form Asthma + Lung UK, invited Sophia to parliament to celebrate the launch of their new #FightingForBreath campaign. Sophia was accompanied by fellow Y5 pupil Isla, alongside other pupils from nearby Hornsby House, and they were joined by MPs and senior staff from Asthma + Lung UK.
Sophia said, “It is so important that we continue fighting for clean air, especially as children growing up in a polluted city like London”.
Sophia’s mother, Marium, is an NHS worker. She said, “Over the past few years, Sophia has used her initiative and taken on the responsibility to raise awareness for lung health in the local and school community. She has also been involved in some much needed fundraising for Asthma + Lung UK to be able to provide essential support and resources for those with lung conditions and to invest in research. Air pollution and climate change affects everyone. We can all be Clean Air Champions!”
To see some photos from the visit, see the post on the Finton House Instagram.
To read about our Finton House Ethos & Aims, please click here.
Finton Supports St. George’s Hospital – in Santa Hats!
11th January 22
Finton House pupils and staff sported their finest Santa hats on the last day of the Autumn Term to raise money for St. George’s Hospital, Tooting.
A few weeks prior to this event, Year 6 pupil Mathilda wrote to Mr Ben to ask if Finton could take part in St. George’s annual Santa Hat Day. Mathilda (pictured) took it upon herself to raise awareness by creating a poster to display around School and in the weekly newsletter.
As the gates opened on the last day of term, a rush of Santa hats streamed through the gates. The end of term Prize Giving ceremonies were a sea of red and white, as was the playground at the end of the day when the whole school gathered to say goodbye to Miss Maria (former Head of Music).
Finton House is delighted to have raised a total of £359.26 for St. George’s Hospital.
Marathon Raises over £1000 for the Sally Walker Bursary Fund
20th October 21
Miss Lindsay completed her 100th marathon on Sunday 3 October 2021, which she ran in aid of the Sally Walker Bursary fund.
Miss Lindsay, who is a Teaching Assistant and swimming teacher at Finton House, ran her first ever marathon in London in 2003 – the marathon in which Paula Radcliffe broke the world record – which she finished in a time of 3:49:18. On 3rd October she completed her 100th marathon (and second ever virtual marathon) in a time of 4:08:28, starting and ending the race at Finton House. Finton families were able to follow her progress via the School Instagram, and a group of supporters greeted her at the finish line.
The Sally Walker Bursary fund is a cause close to our hearts. It was launched in 2007 in memory of Sally Walker, beloved Headmistress of Finton from 2002-2005 and former Head of SEN. The fund supports means-tested bursaries of up to 100% for children aged 7 and above. These bursaries, available each year, are for those who would benefit most from a Finton education but whose family would not otherwise be able to afford one. To find out more about the Sally Walker Bursary please click here.