International Fundraising - Malawi

Schools linking gives children the opportunity to learn about the lives of children in other countries and share some of their experiences.  It can lead to a very special friendship which allows children to look at their own place in the world and understand it in a global context. It helps to develop a sense of responsibility towards the environment and awareness of issues of fairness and equality.

At Old Bexley we are very proud of our link with Napache School, Malawi. The link has been in place for over ten years and over that time we have welcomed three members of staff from Napache to our school and seen five teachers from Old Bexley visit Malawi.

The main focus of our link is to learn about each other's lives and schools, but we also do some fundraising to help out where we can.  Every year we send essential school supplies to Napache in a container organised by Starfish Malawi.  The container travels by ship and road and takes several months to arrive.  In addition to exercise books, pens and paper, we also send toothbrushes and toothpaste donated by pupils.

In the past we carried out some fundraising to build a new nursery for orphans and vulnerable children in the local area.  The nursery is now complete and the children are benefiting by regular health checks, a good meal each day and some nursery education.

This year we are fundraising to support Starfish Malawi's Autumn Campaign to fund mosquito nets.

Year 5 painted a banner to celebrate our link with Napache School which has been sent to them.

To find out more about our recent work with our link school, please take a minute to read our Malawi Newsletter.

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British Council International School Award

We are delighted to have achieved the International School Award Foundation Certificate for promoting the international dimension at Old Bexley and for highlighting the benefits of learning in a global context.  Further details can be found in the letter we received from them.

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Fundraising for UK Causes

Throughout the year, the whole school supports different charities by raising money or holding events.  Some of the charities we have chosen to support are:

• Jeans for Genes day
• Young Minds
• Bexley Foodbank
• Poppy Appeal
• Children in Need
• Bexley and Greenwich Hospice
• Comic Relief
• NSPCC
• Dementia UK
• Read for Good
• Children's Book Project
• Brain Tumour Research

In addition, each year group has nominated a charity which they will support throughout their time at Old Bexley.  By supporting the same charity as they progress through the school, children will have the opportunity to find out more about the charity, why the charity's work is so vital and how we, as agents for change, can support these organisations and contribute to making our world a better place.  The charities chosen by each year group are:

• Year 6 - Bexley Foodbank
• Year 5 - Starfish Malawi
• Year 4 - Bexley Moorings
• Year 3 - Bromley Down Syndrome Support Group
• Year 2 - World Wildlife Fund
• Year 1 - RSPCA
• Early Years - Demelza Hospice Care for Children

 

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