Egg-cellent Turnout for Easter

As Easter approaches, Shiplake pupils and staff collect chocolate eggs to donate to charity, and this year saw a record-breaking number contributed to the Salvation Army.

Last Friday morning, Rev’d Cousins and Mr Duncan accompanied five pupils to the Salvation Army, where they delivered an egg-cellent 613 chocolate eggs. Chapel Wardens assisted Head of College Will Bailey and Deputy Head of College Olivia Bartlett, who put in a great effort to stack the eggs for a photo opportunity before loading up a Shiplake minibus to take to the fantastic charity.

From Cadbury’s and Galaxy to Marks & Spencer and Waitrose, the selection was incredible to see. Among the things said by passing pupils were such phrases as ‘Sir, can I have one?’ and ‘how long do you think it would take to eat them all?’ which were frequently heard while the eggs were being stacked up for a photograph.

Last year’s total was 378, so almost twice as many were donated this year. Not only this, but there were more eggs donated than there are pupils in the School and even more than have ever been donated before!

The eggs will now be distributed to families across Berkshire and Oxfordshire who are most in need of a small gesture such as this. To our pupils, one of these eggs may have cost a couple of pounds, but to a struggling family this will mean far more than a financial gift: it will show that even the neediest members of society remain in our thought at all times.

The total that each house donated is below:

• Skipwith: 63
• Everett: 20
• College: 108
• Welsh: 45
• Lower School: 124
• Gilson: 112
• Orchard: 50
• Burr 90