Staff and students at Colchester Institute have been busy making a difference, raising thousands of pounds, donating goods, and giving their time to support a wide range of charities over the past academic year.
The year began with colour as everyone joined in Wear it Green for Macmillan Cancer Support. Staff and students dressed in green and ran a cake sale, raising an impressive £466 – including £235.11 from a staff-led bake sale alone.
Children in Need was another highlight, with Early Years students leading a bake sale and staff and students wearing spotty outfits to raise £618.13 for disadvantaged children and young people across the UK. Foundation learners at Braintree Campus joined in with their own cake sale.
In October and November, the focus turned to supporting local families. A total of 61kg of food was donated to local foodbanks, followed by 12 large bags of toys gifted to charity shops in the run-up to Christmas.
Festive cheer continued with Christmas Jumper Day for Save the Children. There was friendly competition for the best dressed team, won by Admissions, and best Christmas jumper, awarded to Emily from Funding and Information. Combined with a bake sale, the event raised £409, including £190 from the cakes alone.
The College also supported Action for Family Carers and The Nick Alexander Music Trust through a bake sale and a special charity concert. Organised by the Learner Voice Ambassadors, these events were fun and successful – raising £750.40 in total.
The Business Cohort raised an impressive £2,022.60 in support of a range of charities, including the Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund, Cancer Research UK, the Alzheimer’s Society, and Children in Need. Their fundraising efforts included quiz nights, sponsored walks, entrepreneurial stalls, scavenger hunts, and gaming tournaments.
