Kolkatta calling for St Pat’s students

A group of 24 transition year students and 11 teachers from St Patrick's Classical School in Navan are preparing to embark on a once in a lifetime volunteer trip to Kolkatta, India. Every second year since 2006, transition year students from the school have travelled to Kolkatta and this year will be the seventh trip.

The trip originated out of a partnership that developed between the school and the Bridge Foundation, a charity based in Kolkatta. Through this partnership, the students of TY with the generous support of their parishes and donors have been able to provide the money to build an after school facility providing care, tuition and a safe environment for slum children.
Teacher Ciaran Murphy said: “Twenty-four adventurous students and 11 teachers will brave the 13 hour flight with the sole aim of awakening from the relative comfort of their home lives to the realities of living in one of the most densely populated and poorest cities in the world.
“While in Kolkata, TY students will work closely with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. The students will also work in an orphanage, where they will help care for some of Kolkatta orphans, many of whom have severe mental and physical disabilities. They will also work as volunteers in the Bridge Foundation which builds and runs many schools for underprivileged children around the city,” he explained.
At the moment the participating students are involved in a number of fundraising ventures, both in the school and in the wider community. The preparations are in full swing for the departure of the first group on the 18th March, while the second group will depart a week later on 25th March. 
 

Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so at the Kolkata Fundraising page by following the link on the school website, www.stpatscs.com.

Also keep an eye on the St Pats Classical School, Navan Facebook page where you will see all the fundraising events advertised, including raffles quizzes and much more.