Sir David Attenborough congratulates Bodmin College for rainforest fundraising
Year 8 students raised enough money to buy three acres through a World Land Trust scheme to help Argentina and Belize
Last updated 23rd May 2022
Bodmin College students who have been fundraising to save rainforests have received a letter from Sir David Attenborough.
Pupils in Year 8 Student Council have been fundraising to save rainforests in Argentina and Belize as part of the World Land Trust’s (WLT) Buy an Acre programme, which works to protect the rainforest and animals that live there.
The students set out to raise enough money to purchase one acre of land through the scheme but actually ended up with enough funds for three.
Mrs H. Wells, Assistant Head of Year, commented, “I am so incredibly proud of our Year 8 Student Council. They have huge hearts and so much drive to make a practical difference in our world. It is truly inspiring to witness.”
After organising bake sales throughout March and April, and with a generous donation from DPD Bodmin and also from Calstock Social Club, the students were able to meet and exceed their initial target, raising a total amount of ÂŁ300.
The true icing on the cake for Bodmin College was receiving a letter of encouragement from Sir David Attenborough, a patron of the WLT charity, after Year 8 pupil, Kitty James, wrote to him informing him of their fundraising mission.
The 96-year-old naturalist congratulated them for their efforts and sent a certificate.
He thanked the students for their hard work, stating he is “so glad they are doing so much to help the natural world.”
Kitty commented: “It was so exciting and nerve wracking writing to Sir David Attenborough, I never thought that he would write back to us. It feels amazing to have gotten a reply!”
Andre Pereira, another Year 8 student, spent time creating posters for the college, informing the whole college community of their fundraising efforts and the ecological message driving the fundraising forward. Andre said, “I worked hard on creating the posters because I believe it’s not just about raising funds, it’s about the environmental message behind the event.”
Mrs H. Wells added, “It just feels fantastic to have Sir David Attenborough recognise our students for their efforts. They’re such passionate young people and make us so proud every single day, so it’s incredible to have such a world-renowned advocate for the planet give them his personal praise for their work to help save the rainforests through the Buy an Acre scheme.”
The Year 8 Student Council was overjoyed to also receive a signed certificate from Sir David Attenborough, commending them and thanking them for their donation to the WLT’s Buy an Acre programme.