Manchester school collects toys for Thai children

students show some of the colourful toys they will take to Thailand

Staff and pupils from Saint Paul’s Catholic High School in Wythenshawe recently made an appeal for toys for their pupils to take with them when they go to visit thebPattaya Orphanage in Thailand.

The trip, which will take place next year during the school holidays, will involve Year 11 pupils (age 15-16) as part of the GCSE Citizenship work. The trip will be financed by the pupils’ fundraising activities such as washing cars, sponsored walk, collecting old phones and packing shopping bags in the local supermarkets.

On hearing about this appeal, local toy shop, Little Nut Tree Toys in Chorlton, stepped in to offer their help and support. The shop have kindly donated a large quantity of toys to the orphanage which was visited last year by Angie Holland from Saint Paul’s. Angie said: “I saw one young boy was delighted with his toy, he was very keen to show me, it was a broken car with no wheels on the end of a fraying piece of string. My eyes filled with tears to see how grateful he was for so little and I vowed to help provide them with something better.”

 “This is such a worthwhile cause, Pattaya Orphanage does a great job in helping vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Thailand. They care for abandoned, disabled, tsunami survivors and street children,” said Mrs Ursula Gallagher, Head of Humanities at Saint Paul’s, who is involved with the fundraising. “The orphanage provides a home, education and offers a positive future for almost one thousand children; in addition, they help many others through their health and nutrition projects.”

“To provide this caring environment costs a substantial amount of money and the charity is funded almost entirely by voluntary donations,” continued Mrs Gallagher.

“It is important for our pupils to care about the wider community and I am delighted to see them finding ways to contribute towards the care of those less fortunate than themselves.”

“I’d like to pay a huge tribute to those involved for their generosity of spirit and willingness to get involved,” said Mr Wiktor Daron, Head Teacher at Saint Paul’s.

“As a school, we encourage our pupils to have a social conscience. Pattaya orphanage is making a big difference to the lives of real people in Thailand, also it was founded by a Catholic priest, Father Ray Brennan, so continues the Catholic ethos which is the foundation of our school.”

Once the school heard about the work of the orphanage, they began to use it as an example of how the efforts of one person, Father Ray, could make a positive difference on the lives of others. The pupils then became very interested in the work of the orphanage and the idea of helping to make a difference was born.

The trip will provide the pupils with an invaluable range of learning opportunities ranging from cultural diversity, social inequality and globalization. Saint Paul’s will be able to help with the teaching at the orphanage of literacy, numeracy and general physical education.