Students from St Ivo Academy have raised almost £800 for a much-needed charitable cause. 

Pupils organised a charity day to raise funds for the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal. The money raised will pay for much-needed supplies such as blankets, clothes and food. 

The event, held in May, included activities ranging from a staff netball match and a bake sale to a 'name the teddy bear' competition and a 'soak the teacher stall'.

Tim Blake, executive principal of St Ivo, said: “We are incredibly proud of our students and all the hard work they put in to make this charity day a success. We are thrilled with the generous donations from the school community, and it’s brilliant for the students to know that as a direct result of their fundraising, victims of the earthquakes will receive support.”

It is estimated that around 51,000 people have died in the earthquakes which struck southern Turkey and Syria in early February with thousands more injured. According to the Red Cross, around 26 million people are currently in need of help. 

Brooke Pendale, a Year 10 student, said: “There were a lot of meetings and preparation behind the scenes to make the day a success.

"I feel really proud of all the money raised, it shows what we can do as students when given the opportunity. My best friend is Turkish, she goes to a different school, and it’s amazing to know I helped to raise money for people in her community.”

Noah Richardshon, a Year 8 student, said: “Being involved in all of the planning has improved my leadership and teamwork skills and confidence, too. It feels really good to have played a part in organising the day, and I was honestly shocked by how much money we raised."