Charity fundraising

College chooses four main charities annually. Each House nominates one charity and an overview of the nominations is presented in Prayers. Staff and girls then anonymously vote for the charities they would like to support during the next academic year. This year, we are supporting five charities due to a tie in voting between the local community charities, Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees and Cheltenham Open Door.

While we would like to help as many organisations as possible, choosing a smaller number means the chosen charities can each benefit substantially from a larger donation. It also enables College to build up a relationship with each of the charities, giving girls the opportunity to find out more about them and their work.

Several pupils have gone on to take gap year placements with some of these organisations and with St Hilda’s East, our permanent charity.

College has also supported various ‘one off’ appeals, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, staff and students rallied to help their local communities in any way they could, from making visors, face masks and hand sanitiser for the NHS to initiating projects to support the most vulnerable.

Our charities 2022-23

For the current year we are supporting the following organisations:

Operation Smile

Operation Smile provides world-class cleft care in more than 30 countries helped by thousands of highly skilled medical volunteers. They are dedicated to improving the health and lives of children with cleft conditions, through access to safe, free, effective surgery.
www.operationsmile.org.uk

 
Disasters Emergency Fund - Pakistan

Devastating floods in Pakistan have submerged vast areas of land, leaving six million people in need of urgent help to survive. Aid agencies are working in challenging conditions to meet people’s basic needs such as food, clean water and shelter.
www.dec.org.uk/appeal/pakistan-floods-appeal

 
Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees

CWR is a volunteer-led charity making sure refugee families and asylum seekers in Cheltenham are supported from the moment they move in. They aim to foster compassion and co-operation between different communities in Cheltenham. 
www.cheltenhamwelcomesrefugees.org.uk

Cheltenham Open Door 

Cheltenham Open Door supports vulnerable, disadvantaged and lonely people through a variety of services. They offer a welcoming, non-judgemental space where guests can relax and enjoy food, friendship and access to advice and support.
www.cheltenhamopendoor.org.uk

St Hilda's East

Our permanent charity: a multi-purpose community Centre catering for all sections of the local community in the East End of London. Founded by The Incorporated Guild of Cheltenham Ladies' College in 1889.
www.sthildas.org.uk