Peterborough students come together to raise over £3000 to reduce school prom tickets to £1

Year 11 students at Ormiston Bushfield Academy, part of Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), have been successfully fundraising for their Year 11 prom.

Staff and students have planned for this year’s prom to be the biggest, best, and most memorable prom Ormiston Bushfield Academy has ever seen.

As part of the planning, students have set up businesses where they sell products and goodies in school to raise money and reinvest their profits. Each tutor group was given £1 from their head of year to start a business and every week they had to make their profits grow.

The students have set themselves a fundraising target of just over £3000 before Christmas to reduce the cost of their prom tickets to just £1 each.

The students launched theyear’s idea to fundraise for this years’ prom, after increasing prices meant a ticket would cost each student in excess of £30. The idea for the fundraiser came about to help ensure that all students have the chance to join their peers in one last final celebration of their time at OBA.

Student businesses has been booming and the students are closing in on their target. Currently they have made over £700 with more profits expected. In addition to their own business enterprises, students have been writing to local businesses and the response has been fantastic. Local businesses such as DMG Education, Bijou, 3PM Ltd, RaplndLtd, Bauen Design and many more have all gifted generous donations to the fund.

Incredibly, one student, Josh, contacted the local recruitment company Circle Select to share the fundraising story and they responded with a £1000 donation. This donation has taken students that step closer to achieving their financial goal and having a prom that is both memorable and affordable to all.

With just a few more weeks to go, it is anticipated the students will exceed their intended target and can look forward to celebrating their success together.

Dennis Kirwan, Principal at Ormiston Bushfield Academy, said: “We are exceptionally proud of our year 11 students for rising to the challenge to ensure this year’s Prom will be accessible for all students.

"I have been so pleased to see their enterprising and innovative ideas be so successful. They have raised a lot of money so far, and we are so grateful to local businesses that have donated so generously and shown community spirit. I have no doubt that the students will reach their goal.

“I would also like to express my sincere thanks to our staff and the fantastic families who are supporting the students in this venture. After a number of challenging years, it will be my pleasure to see all our Year 11 students attend our annual Prom.”