Sixth Form Student Praises Colleagues As They Unite To Raise £2,300 For Charity In His Sister’s Name
Tollbar Academy and Tollbar MAT Sixth Form College students dress up to raise £2,300 for Jessica’s Rainbow Foundation. Pictured (front centre) is Liam Bryant, a Year 13 student and ambassador for the charity, which was set up after the death of his younger sister in 2018.
Hundreds of students and staff have dressed up to raise £2,300 for a charity very close to the heart of one of their Sixth Form colleagues.
Jessica’s Rainbow Foundation was set up in 2018 to raise money to provide wardrobes filled with dressing up clothes, DVDs and toys for children’s cancer units in hospitals around the country.
It was set up by the Bryant family in memory of Jessica Bryant, who died of cancer in February 2018 at the age of just seven. Her older brother Liam, who is a Year 13 student in his final year at Tollbar MAT Sixth Form College, encouraged fellow students and staff to help him raise money for the cause, after spending seven years studying at Tollbar.
Jessica was a twin and her sister Isabelle will join Tollbar Academy in September this year, just as Liam leaves to go to university in Manchester. The charity was set up by mum Kerry Bryant in honour of her daughter who had a passion for dressing up, even when she was poorly.
Tollbar Academy and Tollbar MAT Sixth Form College students and staff joined forces to support the cause, donating money for a non-uniform day. Many dressed up in spectacular costumes to celebrate Jessica’s life.
Her brother Liam said: “The charity in my sister’s memory has raised thousands of pounds so far, but due to Covid we have had to slow down a bit in recent months. We are just starting to get back out there now with events like this to raise money to help put a smile on more young people’s faces.
“I think it is absolutely amazing the support the students and staff have given us today. I really want to thank them for supporting an amazing cause.”
Simon Ritchie, Head of Tollbar MAT Sixth Form College, who dressed as Cinderella for the event, said: “Liam has been an ambassador for us and he is part of a team that organises the charity events here. He came to us and asked about doing an event for Jessica’s Rainbow Foundation, and straight away we said if we opened it up to Tollbar Academy students as well we could raise much more money. We told everyone about Liam’s story and tried to get as many people involved as possible.
“We are thrilled by the turnout today, both staff and students have really embraced the charity event and the amount we have raised is fantastic. Many have turned out in fancy dress costumes and others have given generously just to wear non-uniform for the day. It costs about £1,500 to pay for a wardrobe filled with clothes and toys and the money we have raised will now pay for the next one, which we believe will go into a hospital in Leeds.”
Tollbar MAT Year 13 Sixth Form College students support Jessica’s Rainbow Foundation by donating money to wear non-uniform or fancy dress for the day. They are: Pola Tarasewicz, Bethany Grocock, Erryn Sidhu and Oliver Pritchard.
Year 10 Tollbar Academy student Harvey Cape-Melbourne (15), who is recovering from a brain tumour, donated money he has raised himself to Jessica’s Rainbow Foundation. He is pictured handing over the funds to Year 13 student Liam Bryant.
Above and below: Students and staff get into the spirit of the event.
Tollbar MAT Sixth Form Leadership Team helped to organise and raise money at the event. They are: Katie Clorley, Simon Ritchie, Nicole Gabbitas and Darren Green.