How Denton pupils have been supporting school's chosen charity

Talented students at Denton Community College have raised more than £300 for a local charity with their hard work.

Year Ten pupils spent the months before Christmas making wooden reindeer from donated and recycled materials which were then sold at the Christmas Market.

All funds were then donated to their charity partner for the school year, Our Kids Eyes.

The charity was chosen by the students, with the leadership team at the school keen to involve them in the decision making.

Our Kids Eyes, based in Droylsden, organises clubs, activities, discos and trips for families with special needs children with the charity presently the nominated charity of the Tameside Reporter too.

Students had used their technology lessons to build the reindeers which were a hit with shoppers.

Head of Technology at the school, Paula Arkinstall, explained that it was beneficial for the students and the charity.

“With the reindeers we made just over £300 so we were absolutely ecstatic and the kids loved doing it,” he said.

“We wanted to give something back really. Within the technology subject we have got the benefit of being able to design and make things and then work towards selling them.

“We always push this because being a community college we want them to give back and we also get them to understand that, not only are we learning new skills, but we’re applying these to products.”

Paula added she hoped that the venture would look good on students’ CVs and college applications.

“We always tell students that these are the sorts of skills that employers want to hear about and to identify them on application forms.”

Students are now hard at work on their next project, helping the Stamford Unit at Tameside Hospital improve their outdoor space.

Students are working at building raised planters and boxes to allow the residents there to get outside and garden this summer.

Paula said: “My workshop is currently full of dust and my technician is just tidying up for me because we’ve had two lots of Year Ten groups who have just finished working on the outdoor planters.

“We’ll have a range of outdoor planters that the students have made to go on the walls and to have raised planters as well so that some of the residents of the Stamford Unit can go outside to develop their motor skills and to get out and about.

“They’re working with a live brief with the Stamford Unit.

“It’s good for students to realise that as designers you do have a client you need to work alongside.”

Read more from the Tameside Reporter

Click here for more of the latest news

Click here to read the latest edition of the paper online

Click here to find out where you can pick up a copy of the paper