College charity of the year 2020/2021

This academic year, the students have chosen Mentoring Plus as their Charity of the Year. Mentoring Plus supports over 250 young people aged 5-21 every year, who face tough challenges at home and in school. This could be due to poverty, family difficulties or educational needs that are not being met in their current environment. They provide mentoring for vulnerable children and young people in Bath and North East Somerset, training volunteers to do one on one mentoring sessions. These mentoring sessions have made a huge difference in the community; for example, an 84% reported improved mental wellbeing and 81% enhanced relationships with family. The Head of Charities, Trinity, who is in sixth form and St Mary’s House, attended their virtual annual general meeting. She was able to get a better understanding of how the charity works and the importance of the charity as a whole.

I believe it is very important to give young people equal opportunities regardless of their background or differences, Mentoring Plus does exactly this. (Trinity, Head of Charities, St Mary's)

In short, every house is to put on an activity or a series of activities to raise money for the charity. Choice of activities are restricted due to Covid-19; however, the houses have come up with very interesting and fun ideas. For example, the boys of Roche house have introduced a doughnut sale to every house as well as conducting a Roche and Allen triathlon, which has raised a considerable amount of money already. Christmas jumper days and mufti days have been introduced as the term comes to a close, and as the new term approaches more fundraising activities will be held.

We are delighted to have been chosen as Prior Park’s chosen charity – the young people we work with already face significant challenges and Covid has added to these and increased isolation and had an impact on mental health and wellbeing and pressures around missing school. It is great to see the students of Prior Park supporting their peer group in the community and by raising much needed funds for Mentoring Plus to continue our work. (Jenny Perez, Fundraising & Communications Manager, Mentoring Plus)