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Buckie High kids hand Moray School Bank a cash boost


By Alan Beresford

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TWO Buckie Community High School students have handed a four-figure boost to a Moray charity.

BCHS Youth Philanthropy Initiative winning team Makenna Gauld (left) and Yasmin Mair are congratulated by Debi Kelly from Moray School Bank. Picture: Becky Saunderson
BCHS Youth Philanthropy Initiative winning team Makenna Gauld (left) and Yasmin Mair are congratulated by Debi Kelly from Moray School Bank. Picture: Becky Saunderson

S2 kids Yasmin Mair and Makenna Gauld emerged triumphant from the school’s annual Youth and Philanthropy Initiative and with it a cheque for £3000 to their chosen charity, Moray School Bank.

The charity aim to help families struggling with poverty, including providing school uniforms for children.

As part of the scheme, which is backed by The Wood Foundation, the S2 year group at the school worked in teams to research local charities and adopt one. Class heats saw the hopefuls whittled down to six finalists who faced a judging panel comprising last year’s winner and senior leadership team member Moira Taylor.

Makenna said: “Moray School Bank help with a big local issue, there are a lot pupils who don’t have uniforms which is why we chose this charity.

“We researched the charity and spoke to them on the phone.

“When we were in lockdown we did a lot of work ourselves at homes.

“It was a very good experience and it was good to give the money to a charity in Moray which has been struggling.”

Yasmin added: “Covid has made it harder for Moray School Bank to raise money so we’re glad to help.

“I was a little nervous before we did our final presentation but not too bad, there were just the judges in the room.

“I’ve enjoyed doing this and I now know more about local issues and charities.”

Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies teacher Stewart Clelland, who supervises BCHS’s YPI scheme, praised the girls’ efforts and those of all the other teams who took part.

“It’s great to see them keen to give something back to the local community,” he continued.

“YPI also helps pupils discover more about local issues and the work of local charities.

“It helps them work together as a team and the Covid restrictions have seen them use technology in ways they’ve never done before.”

Also congratulating the girls was Debi Kelly from Moray School Bank, which is based in Craigellachie.

She commented: “This year and last year have been very difficult as the Covid restrictions meant we couldn’t do our usual fuindraisers.

“This, of course, has hit our income streams hard so we are very grateful to Makenna and Yasmin for choosing Moray School Bank.

“We’re already planning our back to school campaign for August so this money will come in very useful.”

For more on the work of Moray School Bank visit their website at https://www.morayschoolbank.org/ or visit their Facebook page.

Since it was introduced to Scotland in 2008 by The Wood Foundation, YPI has engaged more than 200,000 young people who have taken responsibility for £4.5 million of charitable giving.

YPI is the biggest independent initiative being delivered in Scottish education.

Each school is responsible for directing a grant of £3000 to a local charity championed by its students through a unique programme of teamwork, research and competition.


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