We were recently approached by one of the teachers at Newman RC College where we were presented with a scenario, we felt we had to act upon.
As we all know, every year, Year 11 students celebrate their success in education and moving on to the next stage of their life, with an end-of-year Prom.
The college has several students who act as academic role models and behaviour ambassadors within the school and are therefore fully deserving of the opportunity to celebrate reaching the end of the Year 11 milestone with their teachers and peers. Unfortunately, due to the current economic climate and their personal/family financial situation; this wasn’t going to be possible.
Whilst the school had agreed to cover the cost of their Prom place, the students were shying away from attending the event or engaging in any conversations surrounding it, due to the financial strain of purchasing a new suit, shoes or dress.
As such, the school reached out seeking sponsorship of circa £130.00 per pupil, to cover the cost of a new Prom outfit. We completely agree that it would be totally unfair for such hard-working and dedicated pupils to miss out on this rite of passage, through no fault of their own.
Prom memories last a lifetime, and we wouldn’t want these pupils to miss out.
Consequently, we were delighted to contribute £500.00 towards the overall target of £2,500.00, to help ensure everyone who wants to attend, is able to.
Tony Morris, MD at M & C Risk Solutions says: “As a past pupil of St Augustine’s of Canterbury School (the previous incarnation of Newman RC College) I didn’t hesitate when asked to assist. It is important to foster inclusivity in all walks of life, especially within a school environment. Times have been, and continue to be, very challenging for many and we remain incredibly passionate about our local community and committed to enhancing what we can, where we can. It’s a privilege to be able to play a role in making a difference and ensuring that everyone has a chance to celebrate.”
Sarah Morris, Operations Director at M & C Risk Solutions says: “These pupils are deserving of their right to celebrate their success and achievements, and we’re genuinely delighted to be able to help them do so. We can all remember the cauldron of emotions at 16; exam pressures, dealing with growing up, what’s next in life… the Prom is a great release from all of that and it’s so important for all pupils to have the opportunity to experience it.”