Philip has met with pupils at Beckfoot School in Bingley to hear the outstanding work being done to support local charities.
He attended an event at the school and enjoyed presentations from different groups of students who have been raising awareness as well as fundraising for different national and local organisations.
The work done by the Year 8 pupils was part of a programme headed by national social action charity, First Give, which works with schools to inspire young people to make a positive change in society.
Ten groups presented their work to a panel of judges – including Philip – for the chance to win £1,000 for their charity.
Philip said: It was a privilege to be invited to sit on the judging panel but picking just one winner was not an easy task! I was extremely impressed by the standard of presentations from these young pupils and it was obvious how much time and effort they had put in.
“The passion and enthusiasm from all pupils was clear to see, especially with regard to social issues such as homelessness, living with disabilities, mental health issues, cost of living issues and being a carer. Some even mentioned the role of politicians and Government in affecting changes. They were totally engaged and a credit to the school.”
The pupils also answered questions put to them by the judging panel and many said they wanted to continue to volunteer after the project.
The 10 charities represented were Homeless Hampers, POPI Baby Bank, Carers Resource, Cellar Trust, Homeless not Hopeless, MIND, Keighley Healthy Living, Martin House Children’s Hospice, Equalities Together and Bradford Flower Fund Homes.
The winner of the £1,000 prize money was POPI Baby Bank, a local charity based in Keighley, which provides items (usually pre-loved) such as cots, prams, clothes, and toys free of charge to families in need.
Beckfoot School Headteacher Mr Wade said: “First Give is now a well-established part of our school and over many years has provided our students with the opportunity to think about others and make a difference to the world around them. It has forced them to consider the work of a number of charities both locally and nationally and to begin to allow their social conscience to guide them towards doing good and putting others first. It is now a well-established part of our personal development offer at Beckfoot and we are delighted annually with the response from our community to help make Bradford and beyond a little better.”
