January 13th 2024
A heartwarming aspect to the start of the new year has been hearing about all the individual fundraising efforts that members of our Moulsford community have undertaken during the Christmas holidays. One particular focus for this has been those boys going on the South Africa Rugby Tour in April, and the money they have raised in aid of Inspire Children and Youth, a charity which they will visit while on tour.
Last term, we welcomed Ingrid Lestrade from the charity, and she spoke to the boys in Years 7 and 8 about the work that Inspire does to help break the cycle of poverty in their rural area of South Africa, and how the money raised by the Moulsford community is spent, including recent building work completed as a direct result. This clearly ‘inspired’ our boys to set about their own challenges, and the efforts have been very impressive - not only in the amounts they have raised, but in the creativity of the choices they have made to achieve some incredible sums.
Individual interests and skills have been put to the test in so many different ways. Challenges took on a global twist with sponsored cricket taking place in Australia, and an epic trek in the Sahara. Others have undertaken physical challenges closer to home with a long distance walk along the full 21-mile Ridgeway Rhino cycle route, a walk from Streatley to Reading Blue Coat School and a Three Peaks Challenge. Sponsored sporting tests have included taking rugby conversions under time pressure, extreme golf, distance paddleboarding and running in full cricket gear, as well as weekly cold water swimming in the Thames. Other boys have been very creative with sales of home-made cakes and mince pies, as well as another potting out hydrangea plants for Christmas presents.
The example set by these senior boys is hugely important for the rest of the Moulsford community. They are truly embodying Moulsford’s values, especially those of Kindness and Courage, pushing themselves out of their comfort zone in pursuit of helping others less fortunate than themselves.
An enormous well done and thank you for all of the fundraising efforts, with roughly £9,000 raised by the Year 7 & 8 tourists who have undertaken personal challenges so far. This is a staggering amount, and adds significantly to the sums raised by the Fundraising Committee through larger community events such as Moulsfest, the RAC Sporting Lunch and the upcoming Tour Dinner on Friday 8th March (click here for ticket information). All those heading to South Africa are encouraged to do some form of individual fundraising, and it’s not too late to make it happen! The boys will no doubt understand more clearly the impact of their efforts when they visit the charity and meet the families who will benefit as a direct result.
When Ingrid Lestrade visited in December, another basic need she mentioned for the families supported by Inspire is that of improving dental hygiene, to improve overall health. The SA Tour Fundraising Committee is organising a collection of toothbrushes and toothpaste for the boys to take with them and deliver in April. More information will be published in the Week Ahead next Friday, ahead of a collection on Tuesday 30th January, and we hope that many in the Moulsford community will be able to support this.
