Staff and students at Southern Regional College have delivered an incredible 1,108 items to support local families in need.
Through a month-long appeal, running from November 12 to December 12, students and staff joined forces to collect 310 toys and 798 essential food and toiletry items, making a tangible difference at a critical time of year.
Adding to the festive spirit of charitable giving, staff at the College fundraised £1,734 through a Christmas raffle for Alzheimer’s Society NI, the College’s charity partner.
Elsewhere across multiple campuses students took the lead in several fundraising activities.
Travel and Tourism students on the Newry campus hosted a coffee morning at the College’s Graduate Restaurant raising £849 for charity.
Meanwhile students on the College’s LEAP programme at Armagh campus demonstrated their creativity and enterprise skills creating a range of handmade Christmas crafts and sweet treats which were sold on campus, in addition to organising a raffle.
All proceeds from this sale and raffle were used to purchase additional gifts for the toy appeal.
Armagh LEAP students also donated food items directly to the church-based community group VIBE in Armagh, further extending their support within the local community.
In Banbridge, LEAP students showcased their talents producing a range of handmade Christmas crafts and a festive hamper, which were sold at Tesco, Castlewellan Road earlier this month.
Through their efforts, students raised £242, with the full amount being added to the overall donation made to Alzheimer’s Society NI.
Commenting on the initiatives, Mrs Lee Campbell, Principal & Chief Executive of Southern Regional College said: “The Christmas spirit is clearly alive and well across Southern Regional College and I am incredibly proud of the collective effort shown by our staff and students.
“From donating food and toys to supporting student-led fundraising activities, everyone has played a part in making a meaningful difference for others this Christmas.
“This is the perfect season for hope and generosity, and as a Further Education college rooted in our local community, we see first-hand the pressures many learners and families face.”
