The Painsley Catholic Academy has raised just over £50,000 for Mary’s Meals at the halfway point in the school year.

In September, all fifteen schools within the academy decided to take part in a campaign that they have called ‘20:20 for Mary’.  This campaign aims to motivate each child and staff member to try to raise a target of £20 for the Mary’s Meals charity by February half term, and another £20 by the end of July during 2020.   The overall aim is to raise an ambitious target of £100,000 in just one school year.

“The concept of Mary’s Meals is so very simple and yet effective, it really appeals to our students,” commented Mr. Steve Bell, C.E.O of The Painsley Catholic Academy. “Mary’s Meals is about providing children with a daily meal at a place of education something that our students of all ages can really relate to.  The efforts of each and every one of our students, from age just 4 or 5 years to 18 years, are very much appreciated. I am proud and delighted that at the halfway point in the year, we are just over halfway to our target.  Well done and thank you to everyone who has supported this worthy cause.” 

The 20:20 campaign began in September with both secondary and primary school children busy running cake sales, fashion shows, raffles, Christmas gifts and craft sales, art shows and sponsored sports events.  The schools have not lost momentum and have more events planned for the next few months including a sponsored skydive, a marathon run, and a sponsored row.

Mary’s Meals was founded in 2002 and has grown from its first feeding operation of 200 children in Malawi to a worldwide campaign, providing free school meals in hundreds of schools and feeding more than one and a half million children daily. Mary's Meals is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, by its founders, who were inspired by their Catholic faith.  The charity claims that just £15.90 is enough to feed one child for an entire school year.  If The Painsley Catholic Academy can reach its target, this will feed over 6,000 children for a year.