Riverside Highlights Issue 5 2014-15, Half Term Highlights, Term 3a | Page 6

SHREWSBURY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

WE CARE, WE SHARE: SHREWSBURY’S CHARITY WORK IN THE COMMUNITY
On Friday 15th May, ten Year 8 students travelled to Bangkok’s Klongtoey district to visit the Mercy Centre
Pre-School, one of Shrewsbury International School’s long-term charity partners.
The Mercy Centre provides shelter, sustenance and educational opportunities to children and young people whose lives have been affected by HIV and AIDS, and works to create simple but progressive solutions
that help to improve the lives of thousands of people living in some of Bangkok’s poorest communities.
The trip was organized as part of Shrewsbury’s Learning for Life curriculum, where Year 8 have recently
been focusing on community outreach and social enterprise. Each of the Year 8 form groups has been
tasked with researching, developing and promoting their own fundraising ideas ahead of Shrewsbury’s annual fundraising week in June. The trip was a chance for the form group’s elected project managers to see
how the money raised on their fundraising stalls will help to make a positive impact in the community.
Having met and played with some of the over 300 children who study at the centre, the group also got to
inspect the classroom facilities which Shrewsbury is helping to improve. The current priority is to replace
the centre’s damaged roof, just one of the major capital projects that Shrewsbury is committed to delivering for its Charity partners.
Elsewhere, the money raised by the Shrewsbury Staff Christmas Raffle is now being used to fund a new
playground at Wat Khai; a school which Shrewsbury has helped to re-build since it was destroyed in the
2011 floods. The Hub (centre for Thailand Childline in Pomprab district) is set to receive a new music therapy and counseling room, whilst Shrewsbury staff recently helped to decorate, furnish and equip four
brand new classrooms at Sister Louise School in Din Deang; facilities which are now helping to continue
the education of over 200 refugee children who fled from war and unrest in their native countries. Our
next long term project is to renovate the school’s existing classrooms.
Equally as important as these large scale projects is the day-to-day support that Shrewsbury lends to its
charities. In addition to regular donations of clothing, stationary and supplies, Shrewsbury’s charity committee also organizes activities which allow the charities to benefit from our own facilities and expertise,
and which allow our own students to get involved in community work.
Y11 students recently assisted on the Rotary Club’s Kid’s Day out, where they helped disabled and disadvantaged children to enjoy a day on the beach at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club. Throughout the year, Sister Louise children have once again been enjoying a weekly visit to Shrewsbury, where Y10 students have
been helping them to improve English language skills, and students from throughout the Senior School
have been helping them learn to Swim in the school’s aquatics centre. Children from the Hub have also
made regular appearances at Shrewsbury, including at the recent FOBISIA Primary Performing Arts Carnival where they helped to run a very popular street-dance workshop. Shrewsbury also helps to promote the
Hub’s own entrepreneurial initiatives by allowing them to sell their own products at regular sales in school.
Following recent natural disasters in
the Philippines and Nepal, the Charity
committee has also reached out to
affected communities further away
from home. The Tunaun School of
Craftmanship and Home Industries,
which was completely destroyed by
Typhoon Haiyan, is set to receive direct funding for its re-building efforts, whilst many of Shrewsbury’s
current fundraising activities, including dress down days, snack sales and
Shrewsbury’s annual fun run will target school re-building projects in Nepal. Show your support for our charities by purchasing one of our charity
bracelets (100 Baht) and registering
for our annual Family Fun Run on
18th June,. Register at the Sports &
Activities Office.
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