Students and staff dressed up and joined in as Halloween fundraising helped bring the total raised for the Nepal Flood Appeal to almost £2,500. 

Even lessons looked a little different at Hurtwood this Halloween, with staff teaching in costume and characters including Gandalf and pirates making an appearance. In the dining hall, a cake sale, lucky dip and prize draw brought students together between lessons to support the Nepal Flood Appeal. “There was just a really lovely vibe in the canteen on Monday,” recalls Stella Sharma, Hurtwood’s Charity Co-ordinator. 

The celebrations were part of a fundraising programme shaped by the students themselves. Following the school’s What’s On Fair, Charity Committee members met to discuss the causes they wanted to support, choosing Nepal after news of the flooding. From deciding where to direct their efforts to creating posters and encouraging donations in boarding houses, students had opportunities to take responsibility for both the cause and the work needed to support it. Stella describes her role as facilitating their ideas and helping them put those plans into practice. 

Halloween provided plenty of scope for Hurtwood’s creativity and competitive spirit. “The students love it,” says Stella. “It gets very competitive.” Alongside the costumes, Hurtwood’s Catering Manager, Christine Bennett, organised a pumpkin-carving competition, with pumpkins sent to boarding houses and a prize offered for the best entry. The occasion gave students different ways to contribute, whether through their costume, a carved pumpkin or helping prepare the fundraising stalls. 

Staff contributions were just as much a part of the day. Linda, a member of Hurtwood’s kitchen team, has been baking for these events for more than 15 years. Giving her own time to make cakes for the sale, she helped raise around £340 this Halloween. Staff also donated items for students to wrap as lucky dip prizes, raising a further £81, while higher-value donations became prizes in a separate draw. Keeping spending down was a deliberate part of the committee’s approach, with students encouraged to reduce, reuse and recycle, including looking in charity shops for their costumes wherever possible. 

The committee’s Wednesday morning meetings have now turned to Diwali, bringing another opportunity for students to share ideas and contribute their skills. Art students have painted traditional Diwali dishes, which the committee plans to sell as trinket dishes for the appeal. Plans also include an Indian menu, henna painting, decorations and a Bollywood-inspired dance. 

For Stella, these events connect participation in school life with an awareness of the wider world. Alongside the money raised, the aim is for students to recognise how their actions can affect other people’s lives. “We’re having a bit of fun along the way,” she explains, “but ultimately, we’re trying to do something really good.”