Reach Cambridge July 2015: Day 17

Today was what we at Reach Cambridge call “Sabre Day” – the culmination of fundraising efforts from our Community Outreach students to support the SABRE Charitable Trust. Here, the Community Outreach Coordinator Alex explains what the Community Outreach team have been up to during the July Program… The Community Outreach students work together to raise funds for The Sabre Charitable Trust who provide schools and teacher training to improve the early years of education in rural Ghana. Their target was to raise funds to help build the external teaching areas and playground for Centre of Excellence Kindergarten School at Holy Child’s teacher training college in Sekondi Takoradi, Ghana. In reaching this goal they organised and participated in four main events: the Charity Auction, a Fete of Fundraising, a 7-a-side football tournament and the much anticipated Sabre Day. The Charity Auction consisted of an auction of promises by the various students and supervisors at reach. Highlights included a tour of King’s College Chapel, a supervisor performance of ‘Single Ladies’, various language lessons and breakfast in bed! We raised an enormous amount – in the region of £800. The Fete of Fundraising raised over £170 consisted of a throwback afternoon to old favourites such as dodgeball, eating doughnuts on a string, crème and skittles, apple bobbing, limbo and the hugely popular soak the supervisor! A 7-a-side football tournament saw teams competing to win the chance to play a match against the supervisors. Supervisors (though perhaps at an advantage of not having played five games previously) came out on top but the real prize was the £70 raised for Sabre! Sabre Day was the key event of the program – Ghanaian drummers, dancing, face painting, decorated cupcakes and raffle tickets created a fantastic festival atmosphere in the centre of Cambridge. Both students and members of public were drawn in making pledges on the Sabre pledge tree and many local businesses donated to the raffle prizes. A procession of drummers and dancing around the city at several points during the day helped to raise a whopping £465. One of the Community Outreach students, Abdullah, said: “I really enjoyed SABRE day. The face painting went especially well as I saw several people with the Ghanaian flag on their cheeks and sometimes their entire face. The drummers also made the experience much more lively. The sound of their instruments and their ability to gather a large crowd really gave the event an extra layer of excitement as people got to witness aspects of the vibrant culture of Ghana. I really enjoyed the event and I am very proud to have been a part of such an amazing organisation.” Congratulations to the Community Outreach team and everyone involved! Written by Alex, Community Outreach Coordinator