Last week Ben Clatworthy blogged about a rather novel way of raising money for Haiti at a school in Bristol.

Clifton College made a 640 foot line of coins consisting of over 15 different currencies, which stretched from the schools Memorial Arch to the Chapel and back again.

In total the event raised £530, however this sum does not include the foreign currency yet.

The event was covered by local media including Bristol Evening Post and also in an article by Ben Clatworthy for Bristol-27.com.

Following one of the world’s greatest recent disasters, fund-raising efforts for the Haiti Earthquake Appeal have been endless. Ben Clatworthy reports from a rather novel way of raising money in Bristol.

There is no doubt that the Haiti earthquake which shock the country on 12 January 2010 is one of the worst disasters to strike in recent history. An estimated 150,000 people have died with scores more left homeless and injured. Haiti, with a $380 million debt to the International Monetary Fund, and just two fire stations on the entire island is in no position to provide care and support for the injured.

That’s where the rest of us come into the picture. Every penny raised for the Disasters Emergency

Pennies on the Parapet

Committee (DEC) helps to provide aid and vital support for those in need. Schools, companies, local societies and many more people have been holding fund raising events up and down the country. Many schools will have opted for a home clothes day, and companies a ‘dress down’ day, but is that really the most effective way of raising money?

Clifton College Upper School in Bristol, where I am a pupil, came up with a rather novel way of raising vital money for the appeal. A 640 foot line of coins was made by donations from pupils, teachers, support staff, porters, catering staff, cleaners and many more people.  The line 3 coins wide in places, stretched from the schools Memorial Arch up the parapet to the Chapel and then back again. The word ‘Haiti’ was also made out of coins in the ‘Quadrant’ next to the Chapel.

The event was the brainchild of Fiona Hallworth, Director of Charities at the school, who told me, “The event has been an undoubted success with everyone giving some money to help make the line. It’s a much better way of raising money compared to a home clothes day or cake sale as everyone is getting involved and wanting to give more to help extend the line.”

Clifton College pupils show their support for Haiti

The majority of the 720 pupils at school donated along with countless members of staff and even members of the public who were intrigued by the idea as they walked past the school.

Heather Williams, Head of Marketing told me, “We have an estimated total of around £600 – £800 but it will take a while to count all the money. Over 15 different currencies were laid down and every single last penny will be counted and go directly to the DEC. With pupils from over 32 different countries at the school we expect lots of foreign currency.”

The school are always looking for new ways to raise money and yesterday’s event is yet another success story for the Charities Committee, who meet every Monday. A second ‘Fashion and Music Show’ is planned for Commemoration weekend this May, with more details expected soon, but I’ve been told to it’s going to be X-Factor meets fashion.

I will make sure I let you know the final total raised from the event in the coming week or so. It was quite an event!

Every little helps...

In a society where life never stops Ben Clatworthy looks at the advantages of taking a moment to reflect.

It’s seldom that any week goes by without us hearing of some unpleasant news story or other. Take last week or so, the Togo national football team were shot at on their way to the African Cup of Nations; Sunday Mirror journalist Rupert Hamer was killed in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb and on Tuesday catastrophe struck the island of Haiti when an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 destroyed towns and cities. It is reported that the current casualty rate stands at an estimated 200,000 people.

Quickly the world’s attention turned to this small country as one of the largest ever aid operations got underway in the latter stages of the week. This time last week the small country with it’s population of just over 10 million was unheard of by many people, today, I doubt there is a single person in the UK who doesn’t know about the country.

Everyone needs a rest from time to time!

It really isn’t the most uplifting set of news stories by anyone’s measure. Reading the Telegraph this morning I then went on to learn that Monday 18 January 2010 is in fact the “most depressing day of the year”. Nicknamed ‘Blue Monday’, the day was inspired by a British psychologist who worked out that using a pseudo-mathematical formula involving the weather, debt, motivational levels and time elapsed since Christmas that the third Monday in January is destined for doom and gloom. Friday June 18 2010 will apparently be the happiest day of the year.

Regardless, in a day and age when ones phone vibrates 20 times a day, the television is always on, the internet powers life and Facebook is a child’s pastime, do we really take enough time to pause for a little thought and reflection? Be it a moment of quietness each day, or a prayer before bed it seems that these days we rarely ever disconnect from the bustle of day to day life enough.

The other day I found myself sitting next to a businessman on an EasyJet flight, from the moment he sat down out came his BlackBerry and up popped his email. Just before take-off the cabin crew lady exclaimed to him, “that needs to be fully switched off now, sir”, immediately he snapped back, “it’s on flight mode”. I don’t want to speculate over flight safety guidelines for one moment but last time I checked ‘flight mode’ was not fully switched off; never mind. The process was then repeated the moment the seatbelt sign faded out, right through until it was time to land.

I on the other hand had enjoyed a cup of tea, read the in-flight magazine, listened my iPod and even had a quick nap; let me wonder who felt most relaxed getting off that plane.

So, maybe next time you feel a little down, or even just tired, take a moment to reflect on life, and the bigger picture. It might just help blow away those Monday morning blues.

This article was first written by Ben Clatworthy for Clifton College in January 2010.