Troon Primary School P7 pupils gave a presentation to members of South Ayrshire Council’s Lifelong Learning Committee in which they explained how they organised a coffee morning to raise funds for MacMillan Cancer Support.

After the presentation Councillor Pam Paterson, the Convener of the Committee who attended the coffee morning said:  “The pupils gave a very interesting presentation.  They clearly enjoyed organising the coffee morning.  It was a great success and resulted in them raising £1,214.07 for MacMillan Cancer Support.

“By using their existing skills, learning new ones and acting on their own initiative, the P7 pupils clearly demonstrated in a practical way how to be active citizens.  They decided that they wanted to raise funds for MacMillan Cancer Support, thought about how to do it and carried their plan through.”

The pupils arranged everything themselves.  They invited their parents and friends to the coffee morning, contacted businesses and asked for donations for the event, issued invitations including ones to South Ayrshire Council Provost, Winifred Sloan, Councillor Paterson, Convener of the Lifelong Learning Committee, local Ministers, and clients of a local nursing home.

After pupils gave a talk to their Parent Teachers Association (PTA), the Association members agreed to help serve teas and coffees on the day.  The PTA donated crisps for all the children in the school and McDonalds donated juices. 

On the day of the coffee morning every pupil had a particular task, such as a waiter, a welcomer, socialiser, entertainer or cleaner. 

One group ran a raffle and asked participants at the coffee morning to fill in a GiftAid form so that the MacMillan charity could claim back tax from the Government on donations they received.

Primary 5 violinists played at the coffee morning and were joined by Leona McNabe, a P7 pupil at the school last year, who played her viola and Louis Murray who played the bagpipes.

A group of people who attend Dundonald House for day care came to the school and joined in the fundraising event.

Provost Winifred Sloan who attended the coffee morning said:  “I received a very warm welcome from the pupils when I arrived at the school.  The coffee morning was great fun and the pupils made sure that everyone was happy and they sampled the wonderful home baking.”

During the coffee morning a separate team ensured that the whole school took part in the event, by delivering crisps and juice to every class, including the nursery class, and also collected donations from other pupils. 

The school invited along local newspapers to take photographs at the event and pupils filmed a video of the coffee morning.

When Provost Sloan learned that the pupils were to give a presentation at the Lifelong Learning Committee she invited them to visit her before the meeting.  The Provost explained to the students about the duties of a Provost, showed the pupils her office and presented them with a small memento of their visit.

November 2006