Saturday 9 July 2011 The body paint and jungle outfits were all in a good cause as ‘zoo keeper’ Chessy Whalen and her pack of wild animals roamed the car park at GSAL to raise funds for Malawi. The sixth form students caused much hilarity among parents and pupils at going home time as they staged a ‘jungle animals’ bucket collection…and raised more than £350 in under half an hour. The youngsters will join a group of fellow students and staff on a three-week trip to Malawi, in July. They will visit orphanages, schools and hospitals, plus decorate classrooms and hospital wards. They will also spend time by Lake Malawi, climb Mount Mulanje, the country’s largest mountain and visit Luwawa Forest, as well as view the stunning wildlife at Luangwa Game Park in Zambia. Since fundraising for Malawian charities started at the school in 1990 more than £250,000 has been raised. The money has provided 13 classrooms, two libraries, two science labs, educational equipment, medicines, educational scholarships, funding for orphanages, four orphan centres, transport for over 100 tons of aid equipment and supplies, financing of an outreach programme and much more. Chessy Whalen, who helped organise the car park collection said: “We wanted to do something that was a bit of fun to raise just a bit more cash before we go. People turning up to collect their children from school joined in the spirit of it and gave really generously.” Students are back (L-R) Callum Kenny, Ashton Squires, Isobel Fale, and Chessy Whalen. Front (L-R) Georgia Earnshaw and Will Boardman. Sixth Form News
