December 2015
Pupils help UCB dress Christmas tree for NSPCC fundraiser
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Students from Mayfield School joined University College Birmingham to take part in the NSPCC’s Festival of Trees.
Three teenagers from the school helped UCB to put the finishing touches to its sponsored tree, which forms part of festive display at the International Convention Centre.
The University’s 10ft tree, called Aspire, is decked in 100 stars containing the career goals of pupils at Mayfield School. We asked the children to think of their dream jobs and write them on pieces of paper. The papers were then folded and placed inside the stars, and the stars were hung on the tree.
The career aspirations range from a ballet dancer and chef – to an astronaut.
Mayfield, a valued education partner of UCB, teaches children and young people with a range of learning difficulties between the ages of three and 19.
The University’s team of tree decorators were grateful for the help provided by Mayfield’s Rashida Bi, 18, Letita Bache, 17, and Hashim Mir, 17. The pupils’ efforts were rewarded with a mug of hot chocolate and festive ginger biscuits made by bakery students at UCB.
"It was great to have help dressing the tree from the students at Mayfield School. Christmas is a special time of the year but UCB is aware this is not the case for every child in our city. We are pleased our tree, Aspire, together with the other trees at the ICC, will help to raise funds for the NSPPC's work with local children."
Last year, the Festival of Trees raised £18,000 for the NSPCC’s work preventing child cruelty in Birmingham.