COMMUNITY

Giving Day proves a great success

The School’s inaugural Giving Day, which took place on 30 June and 1 July, raised more than £403,000, from 816 donors.

These funds take Tonbridge one step closer to achieving its ambition to double the number of Foundation Awards by 2028. Gifts were made from members of our community across 24 different countries, including Hong Kong, China, the USA and Canada.

Donors to Giving Day included 342 parents and 268 Old Tonbridgians, with additional support from current pupils, staff, former parents and family members.

The enthusiastic response of the Tonbridge community to the various challenges – virtual, on-site and off-site – exceeded all expectations and made the event a huge success.

* On-Site Giving Day: The School was delighted to be able to invite guests from local primary schools to enjoy our facilities and take part in a range of sporting, academic and artistic activities.

More than 400 children, mainly from Years 5 and 6, joined us from six local primary schools.

Hosted by First Years (the Novi), they enjoyed 15 different activities including sports, drama, art, pond dipping and even orienteering, all of which were run by the Lower Sixth.

* Off-Site Challenges: Each House undertook a major off-site challenge, involving all our Second and Third Years, as we ‘gave back’ to projects in the community.

Groups worked at eight local primary schools as well as at other locations, such as Haysden Country Park. They tackled practical projects to improve outside education spaces in playgrounds or forest schools, and worked on bank revetment at Barden Lake.

Over 20 tonnes of topsoil, sand, pebble, gravel or stone, as well as 16 truckloads of wood chip, were barrowed into place; 35 sleepers were laid, 28 raised beds and 24 benches built; over 60 litres of paint were used on playground fences; and mud kitchens, ‘bug hotels’, a bird hide and a play puppet theatre were created.

Projects even included digging a pond from scratch (pictured opposite, top left) and creating a 15m-long stream bed!