An Edinburgh charity will receive a donation of over £10,000 from a fundraising ball, thanks to the efforts of a local schoolgirl.
17-year-old Lexi Parkinson helps out at ‘Soul Food Edinburgh’, a charity which tackles homelessness, loneliness and poverty by hosting meals for people in need. Her passion for the people she helps led her to suggest that it become a benefactor of the annual Spring Ball of St George’s School in Edinburgh.
Commenting on her involvement Lexi said;
“When I first shared the idea and suggested that Soul Food Edinburgh be a benefactor of this year’s Spring Bally, I never expected that people would be so generous and we’d raise this much money. I’m grateful for the school’s support, and I believe this initiative can positively impact the lives of those in need. It shows the power of community. I hope this will become a tradition at our school, inspiring more students to participate in such activities.”
Headteacher of St George’s School, Edinburgh, Carol Chandler-Thompson, said;
“140 guests gathered at The Spring Ball – parents, alumnae, and friends of St George’s School. All guests had the opportunity to donate to Soul Food Edinburgh’s essential work, which helps to provide over 2,000 meals monthly to those in need within our community. Along with the entertainment programme, there was an auction and raffle, offering the opportunity to win
exclusive prizes while contributing to our charitable cause. We plan to extend our involvement with the charity in future by hosting meals for their members, with pupils serving and our school caterer, Thomas Franks, donating the food.”
The school’s catering partner, Thomas Franks Scotland Ltd, provides support to those experiencing food poverty through a new charitable foundation.
Commercial Manager for Scotland, Margaret Fowler, said;
“We are now launching the Thomas Franks Foundation in Scotland. After researching online, we found Soul Food Edinburgh, a charity we believe aligns well with our values. Coincidentally, we learned that they are the nominated charity for the school’s annual ball. So we have initiated discussions to collaborate and support their cause. In June, we will also hold an assembly at St George’s to speak about food poverty and our efforts to address it. The event aims to educate students about charity work and involve them in activities like boxing, labelling, and distributing food. We plan to collaborate with St George’s School to provide meals for people in need.”
Links with the local community are a vital part of St George’s School identity. Students
regularly raise awareness around charitable causes and find innovative ways to raise funds. Furthermore, sense of service goes beyond charitable fundraising to include personal action, particularly around sustainability. Staff and student sustainability groups have led the way on many important habit-changing initiatives such as “clothes swaps” and “walk to work” schemes.
The school encourages everyone to consider donating to their charity partner, Soul Food
Edinburgh.
