Young entrepreneurs raise nearly £12,000 for Rossendale Hospice 

Five Valley schools raised a record amount for Rossendale Hospice in an entrepreneurial challenge.  

The event, organised by Rossendale Hospice and supported by Alder Grange School, is in its 10th year and has so far raised over £35,000 for the hospice. The five schools raised a combined total of £11,873.93 in this year’s ‘Youth Enterprise Challenge’.   

The contest, launched in November of 2024, lasting twelve weeks and saw Year 9 & 10 teams from Alder Grange, Whitworth Community High School, Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School (BRGS), Haslingden High School and All Saints High School all come up with enterprising initiatives to generate as much income as possible to be donated to the Hospice.  

The schools were judged on seven award categories; Most Profit Raised, Most Money Raised Per Pupil, Most Innovative Idea, Greatest Community Involvement, Best Presentation, Special Recognition Award, and the Fundraisers Achievement Award. 

The Most Profit Raised award went to Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School (BRGS) raising a spectacular £6,227.82, undergoing various activities including a 12K run over the Christmas period. 

BRGS earned a further award – Most money raised (per pupil in School.) The pupils raised an incredible £5.90 each.  

Haslingden High School, stole the top spot for the Greatest Community Involvement Award with their Winter Showcase. They won over the community with their performances from Blood Brothers, Wicked and many more.  

Lucy Howarth from Alder Grange stood out and won the Fundraiser’s Achievement Award. She spent time contacting Burnley Football Club and arranging for a signed Burnley Football shirt to later be used in the raffle, which accounted for £790.10 of their total amount raised.  

The next award was awarded to All Saints High School for the Most innovative fundraising idea Award for their ‘Denim sale.’ They had the creative idea to get all types of denim clothing donated which they later sold for £1 per piece. Raising a total of £70 from the sale. 

 Whitworth Community showed great passion and enthusiasm when showing their presentation, they went into great detail about how they raised the money for the hospice and the different ideas that they had, winning the award for Best Presentation. 

Last but certainly not least, the Special Recognition Award had clear winners – Josh McLean, Max Harrison and Henry Sagar for completing the 12K’s of Christmas. The three BRGS students decided to take on a mammoth task to run 1k starting on Christmas day 1, 2k on day 2, 3k on day 3 and so on, until they got to their 12th day when they ran 12k in the heavy snow and freezing cold. The students persevered throughout the long days and raised a total of £1,434.24 between the three of them.     

The Hospice were thrilled to have the Mayor of Rossendale join them for the celebration event to present all the awards to the students, along with representatives from the Hospice. 

Grace Cole- Supporter Engagement Fundraiser of the Hospice, said: ‘It’s been wonderful to see how much the students have learnt and developed over the past 12 weeks, watching their confidence grow and their passion for fundraising for the hospice has been truly special.’