Students, Staff and Parents of The Charter School East Dulwich, a new secondary school serving the communities of South Camberwell and East Dulwich, are celebrating receiving a grant of over £9,000 from the Big Lottery Awards for All Scheme.

When the school opened its temporary premises on Southampton Way, the existing playground was an uninviting and barren place. It was very quickly identified as a priority to improve the facilities for the hundreds of young students who would be using it over the next 2 years. With the help of the newly formed school fundraising committee, committed parents Beth Follini and Natasha Soares worked together to draft the bid to Big Lottery supported by the school.

After several months of writing and re-writing, the bid was submitted and we were delighted to find out we were successful in being awarded a grant to fund a range of sports equipment, a container garden and an outdoor mural that can all be moved to the school’s permanent site on East Dulwich Grove. Students will benefit from healthier and more active lives with access to a wider range of sports equipment and a far more suitable, greener environment which students will help tend.

Parent and local gardener Ed Davies is helping lead the design of the new container garden alongside students in the newly formed Gardening Club who will work to maintain the garden year-round. A local artist will work with the children over six days on the design of the mural which will brighten up the whole playground.

When the school moves to its permanent site in the current Dulwich Community Hospital the products of this amazingly generous grant will move with them.

““In these times of ever-restrictive school funding it is increasingly important for us to be able to access additional funds for areas deemed to be outside the core curriculum. We are instilling in our students an appreciation for their environment, their communities and an understanding that taking responsibility for their own healthy, active lifestyle is vital. We are grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for supporting us in this cause.”

Alex Crossman Head Teacher A big thank you to all who worked on the bid and of course to the Big Lottery for their generous award.

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Image: Photograph cheque presentation at The Charter East Dulwich’ Summer Festival – Alex Crossman and The Charter School East Dulwich students.

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