A local charity tackling drug and alcohol dependency across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire is set to receive a cash boost of more than £400, thanks to a group of Lathallan pupils, who organised a black-and-white-themed mocktail evening fundraiser, ‘All Glamour, No Damage’, in support of the charity’s work.
A lifeline organisation, Alcohol & Drugs Action (ADA) first came to the attention of S3 pupils, Tigerlily Toley, Maia Dinsmore-McFarlane, Elizabeth Cook and Pippa Hopkin, as part of their participation in the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) Scotland programme.
The ADA YPI Group: Pippa Hopkin, Elizabeth Cook, Tigerlily Toley, Maia Dinsmore-McFarlane.
After identifying ADA as tackling an important social issue in the local community, the pupils opted to host an event to raise funds for the organisation; with the event also carrying an important message – namely that you can have a good time without alcohol, and can enjoy a drink and still drive home safely.
With the theme and scope decided, the pupils got to work on event planning; designing invites, approaching local businesses for support and working on marketing materials to help boost ticket sales for the sober soirée, sold to pupils, parents, guardians, and friends.
They also learned how to make mocktail- (non-alcoholic) versions of classic cocktails, with four delicious options on offer to the more than 40 guests in attendance – including Piña Colada, Strawberry Daiquiri and Mango Mojito. Another addition to the menu, All Day Apple, made with Lathallan apples and created by the pupils themselves, paid homage to the charity the event was organised in aid of.
As well as mocktails, the evening featured a photo station complete with props and a hamper prize draw – with several themed hampers up for grabs, including ‘Coffee and Cashmere’, ‘Biscuits and Bubbly’ and ‘School and Skincare’.
Representatives from ADA, Alison Thomson and Loreen Marouan, were invited as guest speakers and gave an insightful presentation about the work their organisation does, the risks involved in alcohol and why drinking it should not be normalised. The pair were also on hand to answer any questions during the event from guests and pupils.
Loreen Marouan and Alison Thomson, from Alcohol and Drugs Action (ADA), were invited to the event as guest speakers.
Mrs Thomson, Team Leader (ASSET), said: “ADA was thrilled to be invited to Lathallan School to support the mocktail evening organised by the pupils as part of the YPI programme. The theme of ‘All Glamour, No Damage’ was especially relevant at this time of year and it was a superb evening – very well thought through, with delicious alcohol-free drinks, food and a raffle. Hats off to all involved.
“It’s so important for young people to get involved in their communities and see the kind of work the third sector does – after all, these are the doctors, social workers and health professionals of the future, and we fully support their endeavours.
“Money from projects like YPI enables us to provide extra practical support to our service users that we couldn’t normally give, such as gas, electric and mobile phone top-ups, emergency food parcels and hats, scarves and gloves for winter. It also helps reduce some of the barriers to accessing support, and helps us try to meet people’s basic needs, which is so important in the current climate. We are extremely grateful to Lathallan and this group of pupils for choosing to represent us in YPI.”
S3 pupil, Tigerlily Toley and ADA’s Alison Thomson, pictured with the pupils’ specially-created taste sensation, the All Day Apple mocktail.
Ranjit Fernandez, Principal Teacher of Business Management and Computing Science, and Careers Adviser, is the Programme Lead for the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) at Lathallan. He said: “I have been impressed each year by the efforts that our pupils make to support their bid to win £3000 for their chosen charity.
“Since its inception at Lathallan in 2014, pupil initiatives have included writing and publishing an original song (which, to this day, still raises money for their chosen charity, Hear Me, through worldwide sales); interpretive dance and emotionally-charged drama presentations.
“Pupils have also raised money through bake sales and sponsored events. The mocktail evening was another first and, once again, our pupils have not failed to impress me with their creativity and determination to do the best possible work for their chosen charity. This year’s final is going to be another challenging event where it will be difficult to choose a winner.”
The school and ADA YPI group would like to thank event sponsors: Brechin Castle Garden Centre; ‘Ye May Gang Faur and Fare Waur’ at Stracathro Services; Maison Dieu Coffee and City Press Printers, Brechin. A big thank you also goes to Harry van Bergen, who stepped into the role of photographer for the event.
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Several other charities are also set to benefit from Lathallan’s participation in YPI this year. We spoke to two of our other YPI groups – Time to Heal and Angus Women’s Aid – to find out what they have learned about their chosen charities and what they are doing to support them:
Time to Heal
Alexia Humphrey, Tatum Henderson, Imogen Grantham
What inspired you to pick Time to Heal as your chosen charity?
We chose this charity because we believe that domestic abuse doesn’t get given enough attention. It can also be really hard to open up about domestic abuse and recognise what it is.
We want to make sure we get the message across and spread awareness as much as we can. When we talked to someone from the charity, we were inspired by a story from one of the survivors they had helped get back to a safe and healthy life. After we heard that story, we knew that the charity was extremely important to the local community, and we wanted to raise money and support them in any way we can.
What sort of activities have you been doing as part of your fundraising efforts?
We have been selling embroidered bracelets and are also about to start a fundraiser where people have to guess how many marbles are in a jar. The winner will get a sweet hamper. As well as this, we are also hopefully doing a bake sale in the upcoming weeks.
What are some of the most interesting things you have learned, in undertaking your research, about the work that Time to Heal does?
Something we found interesting was that domestic abuse is most common in women from ethnic minorities. After the Covid-19 lockdowns and the isolation that people had to go through, it made it much harder for people to reach out for help.
Why do you think supporting the local community is so important?
We strongly believe that supporting the local community is so important because sometimes people need help in difficult times and don’t have the financial capabilities to support themselves. They also may not have the confidence to speak out and get help. If these resources are accessible to the community, then it makes them stronger.
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Angus Women’s Aid
The Angus Women’s Aid YPI Group: Oscar Waddell, Evie Colquhoun and Julietta Sikorsky.
Oscar Waddell, Robbie Greenwood, Julietta Sikorsky, Evie Colquhoun
What inspired you to pick Angus Women’s Aid as your chosen charity?
We chose Angus Women’s Aid because we realise domestic abuse is such an important issue. Angus Women’s Aid empowers women across Angus to explore their options and make safe choices, and we feel like this is important and very valuable. We want to be able to help them with their work and keep going with the amazing work they do.
What sort of activities have you been doing as part of your fundraising efforts?
As part of our fundraising efforts, we have done ‘Sweets in the Jar’ and sold baked goods selection boxes that could be pre-ordered. If our team wins the £3000, we will continue to fundraise throughout the year.
What are some of the most interesting things you have learned, in undertaking your research, about the work that Angus Women’s Aid does?
We found the fact that money that is donated can be put towards ‘oodies’ (oversized, wearable blankets). It does make sense as they keep you warm and give you comfort.
Why do you think supporting the local community is so important?
We think supporting the local community is important because it gives you a perspective on the issues in the community and the work people do to help. It also helps us to understand issues surrounding us and gives us an opportunity to connect with people.