St Swithun’s prep school students swap jumpers for Save the Children at Christmas

Pupils at St Swithun’s Prep in Winchester raised money for Save the Children through an innovative recycling scheme to extend the life of their Christmas jumpers.

The initiative was the combined idea of two of the school’s pupil committees – charity fundraising and ecological sustainability - both of which represent children from Reception to Year 6. The committee members recognised that children’s Christmas jumpers are expensive and receive very little wear before they become too small. They decided to help protect the planet and generate some funds for other children by holding a Christmas jumper exchange.

Children brought into school one or two jumpers that they could no longer wear and then swapped them for one other item of their choice. The left over jumpers were sold for £2 each with the proceeds going directly to the Save the Children charity.

Headmaster Mr Jonathan Brough said: "The children really enjoyed choosing their new jumpers and seeing practical recycling in action. They were very keen to help such a worthwhile cause with their creative idea’"

Every pupil at St Swithun’s Prep has a role in the leadership of the school community through an affiliation to one of the school committees: culture, health, community, food, charity fundraising and ecological sustainability.