Penryn College students have raised thousands of pounds and volunteered their time for local and international good causes over the last academic year.

The college’s Interact Club, a youth division of Penryn Rotary Club, helped to create a memory garden in aid of Purple4Polio. They also raised £435 selling crocus bulbs which will be tripled by the Bill Gates Foundation and help efforts to eradicate polio.

Many charities have benefited from Penryn College’s efforts this year, including MacMillan Cancer, the Literacy Box Trust, the ShoeBox Appeal, the Royal British Legion, Flicka Foundation, and Red Nose Day.

The school’s charity of the year was Stanley’s friends, as chosen by the students and student council. The money raised will be used to make a sensory playground in his family garden.

Amy Cocksedge and Caya Murphy were the senior charity prefects during the year. They worked together with a team of prefects and senior prefects organising and running fundraising activities throughout the terms.

“I decided to become a prefect as my Grandad has had cancer more than once, and I had it myself as a child, and I really want to help give back to the community for helping save us both, and Caya also became a prefect as she really wanted to help make a difference with all our fundraising," said Amy.

It wasn’t just the students who took part - the college was thrilled to see donations from members of the community including £500 collection during the school’s Christmas concert and community Christmas party. Staff raised money through book sales and the sale of e-cards, and there were the contribution to the donation pot.

The student-led charity week held in December saw concerts and parties and other fundraisers raise more than £1,000 making it the successful Penryn College charity week ever. The current total raised for Stanley’s Friends stands at £2031.80.

Former head teacher Marie Hunter received a card from Stanley's expressing their heartfelt thanks for all the support. They described pupils as an “inspirational group of lovely young adults.”

Penryn College has raised £23,000 for charity in the last 21 years showing that it is "a giving school that teaches kids to have charitable hearts."