The Calverley Adventure Grounds (CAG) project has launched its first fundraising campaign and hopes that children in the local area will get involved.
Following the recent announcement that its parent organisation, The Friends of Calverley Grounds, has been awarded charitable status, CAG has kick started its goal of raising £225,000 in order to build a new play area by launching a Jam Jar Challenge which schools, nurseries and clubs can participate in throughout the month of June.
Rhiannon Harfoot, CAG’s Project Co-ordinator, said: “We hope this is a way that children can feel a sense of involvement in what we are doing, in creating an exciting legacy that they and future generations of children will enjoy.”
To be a part of the challenge, children simply need to find a jar or container and think of various ways they can raise money to fill it. Spare jam jars and information sheets can be collected from Perk Pearl who have dedicated their window space to promoting the campaign.
Filled jam jars can then be taken to Metro Bank on July 2 to be counted in their ‘Magic Money Machine’. They can also be taken to any participating school from Monday July 4.
Anyone raising over £15 will receive a Top Fundraiser wristband and there will be awards for the class and school who raise the most.
A local teacher who is supporting the project said, “My class have been so excited by the Calverley Adventure Grounds since the idea was shared earlier in the year. Through the Jam Jar Challenge, not only are they participating in a community project and understanding the power of collaboration, but by counting coins and doing some of the number challenges the team have designed, it’s fantastic for their numeracy. We find that children are using coins less and less and are noticing the effect this has on their understanding of money.”
The CAG team are continuing to attract support from many businesses across the town, including Wildwood Media, whose MD, Chris Newberry, filmed and produced a video which captures the essence of the project and the Jam Jar campaign.
Explaining why he got involved, Chris said, “I heard about the project and thought it was truly in-spiring that the community were coming together to create an area which would offer so much joy for years to come.”
Schools interested in helping to fundraise should visit the CAG website:Â www.calverleyadventuregrounds.co.uk
