MTS Charity Drive; An Inside View – Guy Denne, Merchant Taylors’ School

Merchant Taylors’ School’s Charity Drive is run primarily by students, with one of this year’s co-heads, Lachlan Sergeant started helping out in November of 2020, having to apply and be interviewed in a rather rigorous process before being allowed to join. Fast forward to early March, and he’s managed to become one of the Drive’s two co-heads.

Lachlan states that he often has to help organise many Charity Drive events, making sure that students are where they’re supposed to be, and making sure the events run smoothly, as well as coordinating between students, teachers, charities and other health and safety individuals as a part of his duties.

Most recently, the Charity Drive ran a ‘coin race’ event and an own clothes day, raising roughly £1500 in support of the Red Cross Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal, an appeal raising money to support those effected by the February 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck southern Turkey and Syria.

The money raised through these means will then go on to help provide food and shelter for those who’ve lost their homes as a result of the earthquake, clean water and hygiene items, first aid and healthcare, blankets and warm clothing to help many people who now face harsh weather conditions, as well as mental health support for the many who’ve sadly lost loved ones.

Following these successful events, Lachlan plans to hopefully raise money to go towards Dogs Trust, an animal welfare charity specialised in canine care, being the largest dog welfare charity in the UK, with potential plans to support charities such as Herts Young Homeless, Cancer Research UK, and the LGBTQ+ youth charity, The Trevor Project, in the near future.

In regards to upcoming events that are currently being planned by the Charity Drive, the group met on the 25th April in order to plan a funfair/carnival event in the near future themed around King Charles’s upcoming Coronation, with plans to donate any proceeds to Dogs Trust.