QE Raises over £1,000 for Veterans Charities

Student’s Create Beautiful Handmade Poppies as Part of Fundraising Efforts

To commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War, students at Queen Elizabeth’s School have raised over £1,000 for charities supporting veterans.

Whilst the school was busy raising money by selling poppies, QE’s Art Department also ran an exhibition. Using Post-it-Notes as their canvas, ‘Reflect and Remembrance’ as their theme, students and staff, were able to draw or paint anything they wanted, in any style, using any creative material they could find. The work is to be displayed in an exhibition at both school campuses.

Year 9 students played their part by making their own beautiful handmade poppies, in their Technology and Textile lessons, as a unique contribution to the school’s fundraising.

The school plans to install a 6ft tall statue, a ‘Tommy Silhouette’, from the charity ‘There But Not There’ which supports a range of veterans groups. This will be a permanent memorial to the fallen and will create an area of personal remembrance in the school. There will be an unveiling of the statue, by the Mayor of Crediton, later this year.

The nationwide ‘Tommy’ project aims to Commemorate, Educate and Heal.

To commemorate those who died in the First World War through installations of silhouettes. To educate all generations, particularly today’s younger generation, born nearly 100 years after the outbreak of WW1, to understand what led to the deaths of 888,246 British and Commonwealth service personnel. To heal today’s veterans who are suffering from the mental and physical wounds of their service by raising substantial funds through sale of the statues throughout UK.

Funds raised through the sales of the Tommy figures will contribute to the work of the following charities:

• The Royal Foundation
• Walking With The Wounded
• Combat Stress
• Help for Heroes
• Project Equinox: Housing Veterans
• Commonwealth War Graves Foundation

Principal Rupert Poole, said “We are very pleased to be part of the Tommy project which raises funds for very important charities throughout the UK and provides a permanent memorial for us all of the sacrifices made by servicemen and women during the First World War. Our Post-it-Note Art Show was a great success with many thought-provoking pieces emerging from this exceptional project. In addition, the poppies the Year 9 students made were beautiful and poignant, and a very special contribution to our centenary Remembrance and fundraising efforts.”