Schools

A SMALL CHANGE ON ONE DAY IN YOUR SCHOOL CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN A WORLD OF NEED

Inspire your pupils with educational fundraising activities from Mercy Ships

Learn about the world’s largest charity hospital ship and the 450 extraodinary volunteers on board

Find out how they are helping some of the poorest children and families in West Africa, to see, walk and smile for the first time

Schools play a vital role in our work. By partnering with us, teachers and pupils can help transform the lives of children and families in some of the world's poorest countries. Pupils can also benefit from gaining a wider understanding of health matters which affect those in developing nations, and build up useful skills organising fundraising events in support of our work.

There are a number of ways that you can support Mercy Ships through your school:

In the AUTUMN you could take part in

• Seeds of Hope – we can provide you with the seeds, all the pupils need to do is remember to water them and ask family and friends to make a donation
• Big Toothbrush Rush – collect donated new toothbrushes to support our Dental Health Education Programme in West Africa
• Cash for Cards – instead of sending Christmas cards to each other in the classroom, pupils and staff can write their message on our festive poster and donate the equivalent to Mercy Ships

In the SPRING you could take part in

• Whole Heap of Mercy – Go Green and Save the Planet! We’ll help you organise an unwanted clothes recycling collection through our partnership with InterSecond Ltd, who will make a donation to Mercy Ships for every tonne collected.  Click here for more info 
• Big Easter Breakfast – We all know how important Breakfast is and we are asking you to celebrate Easter by organising your own Big Easter Breakfast and to ask everyone for a donation to join in. Click on the link to receive a pack that contains all the ingredients you need  to ensure your Big Easter Breakfast is a BIG success. Click here to organise an Easter Breakfast for Mercy Ships
• Challenge 100 – challenge each year group to work together to raise £100+ through their own initiative on World Health Day in April or any day you choose. For more fundraising ideas click here
   

In the SUMMER you could take part in

• Dare to Wear – Shades Awareness Day – pupils and staff can slip on their wackiest, coolest, most glamorous shades for Mercy Ships and celebrate the gift of sight. Hold your Dare to Wear Day on Sports Day and invite parents and families to join in too! Everyone can make a donation for wearing their shades and pay a forfeit for forgetting! (see below for lots of Dare to Wear resouces)
• Cakey Bakey Day – get your pupils baking, hold a cake sale and join us for a slice of hope. Sell slices of cake at break times in aid of Mercy Ships
• Africa Child Day – celebrate this important day or International Childrens Day, both in June, by holding a mufti day with a difference. Don’t ‘dress down’ – dress up in National Costumes or maybe in 1970’s style and celebrate the decade that Mercy Ships set said for the first time

Organise Your Own Fundraising Event
Fundraising for Mercy Ships is a great way for young people to broaden their skills and work as a team while helping some of the worlds poorest people out of poverty. Fundraising for our floating hospital ship – the Africa Mercy – can easily be linked in with learning relevant to the curriculum including RE, geography, history, biology and PSHE, as well as provide a great opportunity for young people to see the ‘real difference’ their efforts can make in the world.

You can hold an event in the classroom during COLLECTIVE WORSHIP, on SPORTS DAY, during LENT, through a SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, at HARVEST TIME, on WORLD HEALTH DAY, on your SCHOOL’S BIRTHDAY, at CHRISTMAS, on  AFRICA DAY – the options are endless.

We’ll happily provide you with all the resources you need to begin raising awareness and funds for Mercy Ships.
 
Invite a Speaker
One of our trained Schools Ambassadors can give a talk at school assemblies, evening groups or during individual class sessions. Alternatively, we can provide you with DVDs or PowerPoint Presentations that powerfully communicate our work to young people. Click here to download a Speaker Engagement request form and return it to us at the address provided on the form. To book a speaker by phone please contact Sarah Balser on 01438 727800 or Susie Hope on 01899 830475 if you are in Scotland. Alternatively email us at schools@mercyships.org.uk
 
Resources to Download

* Fact Sheet 1 - The Africa Mercy
* Fact Sheet 2 - Patient Stories 
* Shopping List
* General Poster 1
* General Poster 2
* Event Poster
* Image of the Africa Mercy
* 50 Facts about Sierra Leone
* 50 Facts about Togo
* Dental Facts - Did you know
* Eye Facts - Did you know
* Dare to do a Little Extra – 50 Fundraising Ideas
* School Assembly Harvest Resource
* School Assembly - Prayers Resource
* Sponsor Form
* Schools Flyer
* Dare to Wear Flyer
* Dare to Wear Glasses Templates
* Collect for Mercy
 

GET INVOLVED
Have fun in the classroom and help us raise funds and awareness of our life changing work
CALLL: 01438 727800 OR 01899 830475 in Scotland
EMAIL: schools@mercyships.org.uk
WRITE: Schools Team, Mercy Ships UK, The Lighthouse, 12 Meadway Court, Stevenage, Herts SG1 2EF