Pupils taking GCSE Religious Studies at Hesketh Fletcher C of E High School, Atherton were recently invited to attend a Government funded programme in and around Manchester City Centre. This involved students meeting with representatives of the Anglican, Jewish and Muslim faiths as well as meeting some of the homeless people who attend the award winning Booth Centre adjacent to Manchester Cathedral.

Ashley Taylor, Rebecca Wallace and Lucy Barton, said: “We were all so moved by what we saw and heard in the Booth Centre that we immediately wrote to our Head Teacher, Mrs Rowlands, and our Humanities College manager, Ms Mather, to see if they would agree to a non-uniform fundraiser for the homeless. We were delighted when we collected the grand total of £307.90”

Through the post this week the students received a thank you letter from Amanda Croome, the Centre Co-ordinator, who told the pupils the following:

“£10 makes a hot dinner for 20 people; £7 buys someone a birth certificate which provides them with the identification they need to start a benefit claim and get into a hostel; £22 pays for someone to gain a food hygiene certificate enabling them to get a job in the catering industry. With the significant amount of money raised by Hesketh Fletcher pupils we will be able to do so much more in the coming year.”