Young people in need going to China

In seven weeks, I will be taking 13 pupils from Castlebrae Community High School on a once in a lifetime trip to Beijing, China. These pupils have been learning Mandarin in the classroom and this trip will give them the chance to practise their skills and see their learning in context. This is a fantastic opportunity for these pupils, half of whom have never left the country before. They are a mixture of excited, nervous and slightly terrified about the trip!'

Castlebrae is a caring, dynamic school community which pupils are proud to be part of. It is situated in one of the most disadvantaged areas of Edinburgh. A high percentage of pupils receive Free School Meals and are in SIMD category 1 or 2.

The costs of travel, accommodation and food have already been covered by a generous donation by the Swire Chinese Language Foundation.

However, the donation did not stretch to assist with the costs of suitcases, clothing, toiletries etc. Therefore, I am raising funds to assist the families in buying essentials for this trip. I would love to be able to give each family £50 to cover these costs. The pupils and I will be involved in many fund raising activities over the next few weeks.

If you could spare a couple of pounds to make this trip possible for these children it will make such a difference to their lives.