Shiplake Parents' Association Donates over £5,000

The Shiplake College Parents’ Association has donated over £5,000 to two charities supported by School Reverend Stephen Cousins.

At this week’s Parents’ Association meeting, Chairperson Dawn Greenaway presented Revd Stephen Cousins with two cheques. One, for £1,000, is to be donated to the Reading Branch of Street Pastors, a Christian Charity that helps those in need, on and off the streets. Set up in 2002, the charity has now trained over 13,000 volunteers. One of the main roles of Street Pastors is assisting people who may be a bit worse for wear after a night out; vulnerable women and young people in particular. Dawn Greenaway has said: 

“It is with pleasure that we have been able to donate to these two worthwhile causes, particularly in the run up to what will be a busy Christmas period for both charities. We are delighted that the money will go towards two local organisations that are closely linked to the College through Rev’d Cousins, with the funds making a real difference to many people, including some who are as young as our own children. I would like to thank all the parents, staff and pupils who have supported our events and made these donations possible.”

The second cheque is for £4,500 and will be donated to the Christians in Reading Drop in Centre, a charity in Reading that Shiplake College regularly supports. The Drop-In Centre is on the Rev’s list of regular visits and often takes pupils to volunteer and visit. Last month, pupils came together to donate over 1,200 pairs of socks for homeless people. Stephen Cousins, the Reverend here at Shiplake, has said

'These funds are going to make an immeasurable amount of difference in helping those living on the streets over the Christmas period. The donation to the Reading Street Pastors will also support the teams as they work in the community on Friday and Saturday nights. Thank you so much to the Parents' Association for their generosity