£3k boost for family charity
Caring pupils won donation competition
Big- hearted pupils pulled together to raise an astonishing £3,000 for a charity that supports families struggling with the loss of a child.
Renfrewshire charity Brightest Star received the welcome funding boost through the efforts of S3 Gleniffer High School pupils.
The caring kids raised the cash by being the winning team in the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative, which encourages youngsters to gain an understanding of local charities and the good work that they do.
To win the money, six teams from Gleniffer High had to present the case for their chosen charity to their fellow pupils and a staff judging panel.
The team which presented the most compelling case were given the money.
Winning team member, S3 pupil Connie Renton said: “We found out all about the Brightest Star charity by speaking to the founder Arlene Smith who named the charity in memory of her son Jack who died at the age of five.
“She told us that the Brightest Star makes teddies for children who die in hospital and memory boxes for their families.
“They also help provide life-saving first aid training, bereavement support and a special ambulance that can be used by families when children need to transferred to other hospitals”
Jack had gone to bed with a temperature on December 17, 2012, and, when his dad Derek tried to wake him for school the next morning, he was unconscious.
He was taken to Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital, where doctors confirmed a lack of oxygen had caused brain damage.
After being transferred to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, in Edinburgh, Jack fought bravely for 24 hours, despite having heart, kidney and liver damage.
On December 19, blood tests showed that Jack had a virus that attacked his heart and made it stop. He sadly passed away that night with his parents by his side.
He had been due to celebrate his sixth birthday on Christmas Day.
Connie added: “Everybody in our team was very moved by Arlene’s story and felt that this charity really does make a huge difference to families who are facing the heartache of losing a child.”