Booker Hill School's crowdfunder has £25 of its £1,000 target, ahead of a 23 November visit from basketball player Pierre Henry-Fontaine. Costs come first.
Booker Hill Primary School & Nursery is raising money online ahead of a visit from a former basketball player on Monday 23 November. The appeal, The Booker Hill School Fundraiser on Crowdfunder, is run by Sports For Champions UK, a community interest company, with a target of £1,000. When we checked on 2 October it stood at £25 from one supporter, 2% of the target, with 51 days to go.
Sarrah Sapp, administration officer at Sports For Champions, wrote to us: “In partnership with the school we are running a fundraiser to replenish their budget.” The page says the school plans to spend its share on “new equipment, fund opportunities for the children, and more.”
What happens on 23 November
The visitor is Pierre Henry-Fontaine, whose profile card on the page lists him as a basketball player born in 1981 who represented England. Pupils will do a fitness circuit, hear a talk with a display of medals, and put questions to him in a Q&A session.
The page says the school “is promoting health and wellbeing throughout the school, and with the help of a visit from Pierre Henry-Fontaine, this will be enhanced across all year groups and staff. They are also focusing on encouraging diversity and raising the aspirations of the pupils through sport.”
In his own words on the page, he first picked up a basketball at 12 on the South Acton Estate in London: “Growing through the ranks of the junior circuit and then onto playing in the big league, my passion for the game was always at a high.” He describes rupturing his Achilles tendon twice in two years, which “ended up being a career ending experience”, and a knee injury that put him out of the sport. He then qualified as a Level 3 personal trainer and set up a company, 360 Elite: “We work to provide essential knowledge to young people who have extraordinary gifts, so they are well prepared in life.”
Where the money goes
This is the part worth reading before you give. The page says that for each event, Sports For Champions “looks to raise enough money to cover the costs that it takes to provide such an excellent service nationally. Once that goal is reached, surplus funds are allocated in a way that benefits both the school and our passionate athletes: 60% for the school’s continued growth and 40% contributing to the athlete fund.” The page does not say what the costs for this visit are.
The athlete fund, the page says, helps schools in poorer areas meet the administrative fee and helps athletes with injuries, equipment and training camps. The company says it is audited and voluntarily registered with the Fundraising Regulator, and that it has run these events for 12 years. The appeal is “keep what you raise”, so every pledge made by 8am on 23 November is paid over whether or not the £1,000 is reached.
What it means for you
The visit is an in-school event for pupils, not open to the public. Parents and anyone else who wants to support the school can give through the Crowdfunder page until 8am on 23 November. Sports For Champions also asks local businesses and friends of the school to donate and share the appeal.
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