A group of P6 girls from Killearn Primary School have raised almost £650 for children affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
Ten-year-olds Lena Devine, Emmylou Ward, Florence Skinner and Laura Gingles wanted to help their counterparts in the disaster-struck area after seeing the heartbreaking images and devastation.
The youngsters organised a bake sale fundraiser for UNICEF with the event taking place on the grassy village square.
Lena’s mum Noreen Devine said: “It was all the girls’ own idea and they organised everything from making and putting up posters to the baking. They’re delighted that many kind people from the village donated baking too.
“The girls were so sad to hear of children their own age getting pulled from rubble and losing everything from their home to their parents and wanted to do something to help them.
“They raised an amazing £645 for UNICEF to help children and families caught up in the devastating earthquake.
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“We have a wonderfully supportive and close knit primary school (Killearn Primary) and local community in Killearn and when word got out about the girls’ fundraising efforts additional baking donations came in from school friends, parents and the local community. Coupled with the days of baking the girls did, it meant they had a wonderful array of home baking for sale. All the feedback was that the cakes and treats were absolutely delicious.”
Lots of the girls’ school friends, family and Lena’s big sister Cara, 13, from Balfron High School came along and helped them set up.
There was some baking left so a couple of the girls’ friends, Nina Small and Rose Miller, also in P6, sold the remaining baking at a girls rugby event in Fintry.
It wasn’t the first time the girls had put their baking skills to use for a good cause. Noreen said: “Last month they had a small bake sale for the SSPCA, as the protection of animals is very close to their hearts, and they raised £65.
“They learnt a lot of lessons after this one and decided they needed to get the word out more for the UNICEF fundraiser as they wanted to raise a lot more. They put lots of posters around the villages, asked mums to advertise it on social media and the school put out a notification to all parents.
“This has been a great learning curve for the girls, and they can see from a little idea and a bit of effort and imagination they can help people, have fun, and feel good about doing it to.”
