Faircote House Girls refused to let recent flooding in York city centre get in the way of their efforts to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Read their report here:
The Girls of Faircote House were all set for the ‘Shine Night’ 10K Walk on the evening of Friday October 4th. Donations had been received, the official route was confirmed and pupils were scheduled to take to the streets of York (along with an estimated 1,200 other fundraisers) to raise funds for Cancer Research UK. There was only one obstacle in their way – heavy rainfall earlier in the week had caused severe flooding and much of the planned route was submerged beneath the River Ouse.
Officials decided to reschedule the event to Friday 18th October – the last day of term, when Pocklington pupils would be heading home for a well-deserved half term break. Faircote faced a difficult choice; attempt to make arrangements for the revised date… or refund donations. The Girls didn’t accept either option. Instead they collectively agreed to devise their own city-centre route, take to the streets, honour the donations and ensure the funds reached Cancer Research UK.
Seventeen Faircote Girls, and seven staff headed into York, dressed in official CRUK ‘Shine Night Walk’ clothing and twinkly battery powered fairy light garlands. The luminescent lot made their way through the centre of York, lighting up landmarks as they went. People waved from busy restaurants and bustling bars – some even congratulated the Girls as they passed in the streets.
For new pupils, the evening made for a twinkling twilight introduction to our stunning city. For returning students and those who already know York well, it served as a reminder of how lucky we are to have such a treasure on our doorstep. For some, it was an evening to reflect on loved ones who’ve been affected by a cruel disease, for others it was an opportunity to make a positive impact on other peoples lives. Above all else, the Girls pulled together and demonstrated it is possible to shine in the face of adversity – we are incredibly proud of every single one of them.
Check out our video of the event here. At the time of writing, the Girls have raised over £1600 and counting.