Flintshire students raise money for good causes at Christmas

Following on from its successful Christmas appeal for Flintshire Foodbank, the community at Argoed High School have been taking part in activities to raise money and provide gifts for less fortunate children this festive period, as well as participating in a special celebration and a fun Secret Santa.

Getting things off to a great start was a Cosy Day in support of Children in Need. Students and staff contributed £1 for wearing their pyjamas, a onesie, something cosy, or bringing in a blanket, and raised almost £473 for the charity.

A group of boys in their Christmas jumpers.

The school's annual Christmas Jumper Day raised a further £203 for Save the Children, with a tasty Christmas dinner on offer in the canteen on the same day.

Sheron Goodwin, religion, values and ethics (RVE) teacher and head of Year 8, organised the Christmas Shoe Box Appeal 2023, which has been operating at the school for more than 25 years.

Read more:

• School Report - Nativity, kit sponsors, reindeers and more in the School Report
• Flintshire Police thank schoolkids who gifted them treats and a card for Christmas
• Headteacher "delighted" with Flintshire high school's Estyn report

After a whole school assembly to launch the appeal, form tutors worked with their tutor group to make up the shoe boxes during their break and dinner times.

As in previous years, the shoe boxes are heading to local charity, Teams4U, who will collect and arrange transportation to the Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Bosnia and Romania where they will be distributed to a vulnerable child, or family, through schools, nurseries, hospitals and orphanages.

Mrs Goodwin also ran a Christmas Tree Competition, and this year's theme was 'hope'.

Christmas tree competition winners, Lois Evans and Joe Green, form 7PSH

Form tutors worked with their tutor group during registration time to decide how to reflect the meaning of hope, and students then worked with each other to create their group's Christmas tree. Mrs Goodwin judged the Christmas trees and prizes were awarded to the top four.

Students from Years 8 to 11 have also been putting their creative skills to the test in the ever popular after school craft club. Over the last few weeks activities have been Christmas themed, culminating in a gingerbread decorating Christmas party.

Mrs Goodwin said: "It has certainly been a busy end to the year with so many different projects and activities taking place, but it is wonderful to see the students so happy to be involved and wanting to help. We would like to thank everyone for their generosity and support once again this year, it is so much appreciated."