The celebrations really kicked off with a fantastic Charity Afternoon, where students took to the Astro for an afternoon of fun fundraising activities. There were games, challenges and plenty of laughter, with one of the highlights being the opportunity to soak teachers, all in support of the charities chosen by the Year 9 teams. The event not only raised valuable funds but also helped students spread awareness of the causes they had been championing.

One group went above and beyond with an ambitious fundraising raffle featuring an incredible selection of prizes. These included £200 holiday vouchers, a signed England shirt featuring signatures from David Beckham, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, and the entire 2001 England squad plus a range of other fantastic prizes, helping to generate significant interest and support for their cause, ESDAS. 9 Nightingale must also be praised for their valiant efforts at a fun run on one of the hottest days of the year to raise money and awareness for The Lucy Rayner Foundation.

The First Give Final itself was a truly impressive occasion. We were delighted to welcome the Mayor and Councillor Jonathan Essex, who joined Mrs Colman and Headteacher Mrs Oakley on the judging panel. Each team presented their chosen charity and explained the social action they had undertaken to raise awareness and support for their cause.

The standard of presentations was exceptionally high, with students demonstrating confidence, passion and a genuine commitment to helping others. Judges were treated to a wide variety of creative ideas, including a brilliant original song that captured both the spirit of the project and the importance of supporting local charities. The charities supported this year were: ESDAS, Finley's Touch, South East Rivers Trust, Renewed Hope, One in Four, The Lucy Rayner Foundation, Waythrough, and Cancer Research.

After much deliberation, the judges announced 9 Hawking as the overall winners. Their outstanding work in support of Waythrough earned the charity the coveted £1,000 First Give grant. The team impressed the judges with their passion, teamwork and commitment to making a difference.

A special Judges' Commendation Award was also presented to Charlotte Canning in recognition of her outstanding presentation skills. Charlotte's confidence, professionalism and engaging delivery made a lasting impression on the judging panel. 9 Chaplin also got a special Judges Commendation for their impressive presentation they recorded for the judges. 

The First Give programme has once again shown what can be achieved when young people are given the opportunity to learn about social issues and take action in their communities. Congratulations to all Year 9 students for their hard work, creativity and enthusiasm. Every team should be incredibly proud of the difference they have made.