Rag Week - We've raised £5,900

Students and staff at Weston College have been busy raising money for chosen charities as part of their annual Raising and Giving (RAG) week.

Compared to 2018’s total of £3,600, the combined effort managed to raise an incredible £5,900 for mental health charity Young Minds and local organisation Weston Hospicecare.

Across the week, money was raised through a number of different ways including talent shows, cake sales and an entire day of fancy dress. From sponsored silences to Gecko inspired haircuts, each department also arranged a fundraising event for students and staff to get involved with.

Uniformed Public Services students rowed the equivalent distance of the 24 highest mountains in the world and Inclusive practice students managed to travel 475km (the distance from London to Paris) by walking, running and rowing throughout the week. The Computing department managed exciting events such as Beat Sabre on the VR, a Golf chip challenge and a Nerf gun firing range, raising a total of £1,400 as a department.

Weston College Principal and Chief Executive, Dr Paul Phillips CBE commented: “The atmosphere across campus is always vibrant and full of positivity during RAG Week. This annual fundraising event is a fantastic opportunity for our learners to contribute to our community and raise aspirations by helping others. Yet again our staff and learners went above and beyond and, as ever, bucked the trend.”

After receiving a cheque from Dr Paul, Simon Angear from Weston Hospicecare added:

“Weston Hospicecare is once again enormously grateful to all staff and students at Weston College for their fabulous efforts on our behalf during RAG Week.

“We love hearing about all the different activities held to raise money, and were bowled over by some of the creativity displayed in some of this year’s events.

“Community support is vital to the hospice, and this wonderful donation from Weston College will play a big part in helping us continue to care for our patients across Weston-super-Mare and beyond.”

A massive thank-you goes to all of the staff and students for their generosity and dedication to raise such an amazing amount for some brilliant causes.

Please see below the list of winners for the RAG week awards 2019.

Most Innovative Fundraising Idea

Dungeon and Dragons Escape Room Challenge - Will Price and Jon Barnett (Engineering and Computing)

Best Use of Digital

Sponsored Silence Communication Through Assistive Technology – Zoe Benton, Paul Kelly, Lorna Whitford (Extension Studies)

Most Money Raised by a Staff Member

'£891.16 - Cameron Lyes (Engineering and Computing)

Most Money Raised by a Student

Super Smash Bros Tournament £126 – Tom Jory (AEC Faculty)

Most Money Raised by a Faculty

£1,400 - Faculty of Engineering and Computing

Outstanding Commitment to RAG

Gecko Inspired hair cut - Rob Heaton (Sixth Form)

Best Dressed Faculty

101 Dalmatians – Management Information Systems

Best Challenge

Mountain Rowing Challenge - Uniformed Public Services

Best Event

Extension Studies Talent Show – Faculty of Inclusive Practice