Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Anything that doesn't fit anywhere else, but that's still CH related.

Moderator: Moderators

AMP
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 279
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:15 pm
Real Name: Amp

Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by AMP »

The school has set up a Covid 19 Hardship Fund to support the most disadvantaged pupils whilst the school is partially closed.

CH should be applauded.

This is what sets the school apart.

"While we are delighted to have 121 children at CH, many others now face challenges at home. Some lack the mobile data access or hardware they need to learn from home. Many pupils are facing isolation, anxiety, loneliness or even bereavement. Some vulnerable children have been unable to return to CH and their difficult circumstances at home are likely to worsen.

Christ’s Hospital has therefore launched a Covid-19 Hardship appeal to support disadvantaged pupils and their families who are struggling as a result of the pandemic and the new lockdown.

As in the first lockdown, the School is responding quickly to provide financial support for families as well as weekly food vouchers, access to mobile data and IT support. It is also critical that we continue to support our pupils’ mental health and overall wellbeing during this challenging time, with resources and support from our Counselling and wider pastoral teams."


https://www.christs-hospital.org.uk/sup ... NATE%20NOW
Katharine
Button Grecian
Posts: 3285
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:44 pm
Real Name: Katharine Dobson
Location: Gwynedd

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by Katharine »

Thanks for reminding me, I tried to give when I got my email but my iPad ground to a halt, I’ll try again.
Katharine Dobson (Hills) 6.14, 1959 - 1965
AMP
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 279
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:15 pm
Real Name: Amp

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by AMP »

Katharine wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2021 5:35 pm Thanks for reminding me, I tried to give when I got my email but my iPad ground to a halt, I’ll try again.
You're welcome
rockfreak
Grecian
Posts: 972
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 8:31 pm
Real Name: David Redshaw
Location: Saltdean, East Sussex

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by rockfreak »

What's so special about the underprivileged pupils at Christ's Hospital? There are underprivileged people all over the country.
AMP
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 279
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:15 pm
Real Name: Amp

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by AMP »

rockfreak wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:40 pm What's so special about the underprivileged pupils at Christ's Hospital? There are underprivileged people all over the country.
I shouldn't discriminate just because they go to Christ's Hospital.

They are as much in need of free school meal vouchers as the state school children being helped thanks to the intervention of Marcus Rashford in the face of despicable companies trying to profiteer under the nose of this incompetent and carefree government.
Last edited by AMP on Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Goatherd
LE (Little Erasmus)
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:53 pm
Real Name: Bill Harwood
Location: France

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by Goatherd »

There's nothing 'special' about them. It's just that they are the ones concerned here because it's a Christ's Hospital forum.
Goatherd
loringa
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 473
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2005 5:01 pm
Real Name: Andrew Loring
Location: South Gloucestershire

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by loringa »

rockfreak wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:40 pm What's so special about the underprivileged pupils at Christ's Hospital? There are underprivileged people all over the country.
For goodness' sake, what is so 'special' about kids at Christ's Hospital is that not only are they under-priviledged but the Government, having been relieved of the responsibility for educating them, is not now going to provide them with free computers, food etc like they do for all the other under-priviledged children who go to State schools.

We all know that you have a massive chip on your shoulder about Independent schools despite having benfited from going to one yourself, something that you have made clear again, and again, and again, and again ... but please don't take it out on the kids! Their parents, recognising the benefits of Christ's Hospital, have done what is necessary to provide their kids with an excellent education but clearly many are finding it hard to make ends meet in this unprecedented crisis.

If the school won't help them when they are studying at home, who will? Maybe you think it's their fault they are poor and thus not worthy of assistance but, even if you do, it's not fair to take out your prejudices on the children.
rockfreak
Grecian
Posts: 972
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 8:31 pm
Real Name: David Redshaw
Location: Saltdean, East Sussex

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by rockfreak »

If CH has decided to take itself out of the state educational system and "relieve" the state of having to educate these kids then that is CH's worry. If CH has decided to follow Eton and Harrow and build state-of-the-art facilities and employ loads of specialist coaches to staff them in order to attract the children of Chinese and Russian oligarchs and their valuable currencies (24% fee payers these days I believe) then that is CH's problem. Incompetent management and accountants also seem to be a problem. Unable to make things add up. My kids went to state schools which had a fraction of the facilities that Christ's flaming charity school Hospital enjoyed. If I had any spare cash it would have gone to Meopham Comprehensive in north Kent. Do I have a chip on my shoulder? No, I don't believe I do. Just an ability to see the wood for the trees.
AMP
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 279
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:15 pm
Real Name: Amp

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by AMP »

The bottom line is that SOMEBODY needs to help these children during these unprecedented times!
loringa
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 473
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2005 5:01 pm
Real Name: Andrew Loring
Location: South Gloucestershire

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by loringa »

rockfreak wrote: Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:00 pm If CH has decided to take itself out of the state educational system and "relieve" the state of having to educate these kids then that is CH's worry. If CH has decided to follow Eton and Harrow and build state-of-the-art facilities and employ loads of specialist coaches to staff them in order to attract the children of Chinese and Russian oligarchs and their valuable currencies (24% fee payers these days I believe) then that is CH's problem. Incompetent management and accountants also seem to be a problem. Unable to make things add up. My kids went to state schools which had a fraction of the facilities that Christ's flaming charity school Hospital enjoyed. If I had any spare cash it would have gone to Meopham Comprehensive in north Kent. Do I have a chip on my shoulder? No, I don't believe I do. Just an ability to see the wood for the trees.
Umm - let's take a look at some of these comments:
Christ's Hospital didn't 'take itself out' of the State system; CH provided an education for poor children long before there was a State system: 1552 as opposed to 1870 (the Elementary Education Act though it didn't come in to force until 1880).
I actually have some sympathy for your views on spending vast sums on expensive facilities to attract full fee payers; I would much rather a slightly more austere CH with fewer facilities and more children educated for free or for much reduced fees. I am not, however, sure your comments about incompetent management and accountants is fair. I am not convinced by their business model but it doesn't mean they are incompetent. That said, I am pleased to see they have set up a hardship fund as any donation one chooses to make will not end up going towards a new sports or performing arts centre.
You don't have a chip on your shoulder - well if you say so ...
As for seeing the wood for the trees, that sounds to me a little like those people who like to announce that 'they say it as it is ...' when, of course, what they mean is that they are extremely opinionated and only their views are worth hearing!
You wrote your post at 8.00 pm on a Saturday. Maybe you'd had a cheery pint or two before settling down to write? :drinkers:
AMP
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 279
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:15 pm
Real Name: Amp

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by AMP »

I also like the fact that it is targeted support and I agree with all your comments Ioringa, but thank you button has disappeared


Roy Hattersley - "Christ's Hospital perpetuates privilege"

Remember him?

And all the other champagne socialists who send their children to private schools, would have squandered the finances years and years ago if given the chance

It's ironic that the Founding Charter of 1552 is still as relevant today, it's the current model which has evolved since the 1970s which is outdated.

The school should live within its means, reduce staff and the curriculum and if necessary, reduce pupil numbers rather than expanding.

And get the Marketing Department to focus on a targeted nationwide communication campaign aimed at deprived areas.

I am pretty sure that with their fixed assets, CH could still remain sustainably financially independent
sejintenej
Button Grecian
Posts: 4092
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:19 pm
Real Name: David Brown ColA '52-'61
Location: Essex

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by sejintenej »

loringa wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 10:49 am
Christ's Hospital didn't 'take itself out' of the State system; CH provided an education for poor children long before there was a State system: 1552 as opposed to 1870 (the Elementary Education Act though it didn't come in to force until 1880).
I actually have some sympathy for your views on spending vast sums on expensive facilities to attract full fee payers; I would much rather a slightly more austere CH with fewer facilities and more children educated for free or for much reduced fees. I am not, however, sure your comments about incompetent management and accountants is fair. I am not convinced by their business model but it doesn't mean they are incompetent. That said, I am pleased to see they have set up a hardship fund as any donation one chooses to make will not end up going towards a new sports or performing arts centre.
You don't have a chip on your shoulder - well if you say so ...
As for seeing the wood for the trees, that sounds to me a little like those people who like to announce that 'they say it as it is ...' when, of course, what they mean is that they are extremely opinionated and only their views are worth hearing!
You wrote your post at 8.00 pm on a Saturday. Maybe you'd had a cheery pint or two before settling down to write? :drinkers:
I agree with AMP that your post deserves praise.
I accept that government and similar regulations have forced the school to spend money not directly related to teaching the three Rs. Example - asbestos control, breaking up of dormitory sleeping .....
I don't argue with many of those BUT do they really need a new drama building - was Big School not enough? Will getting up and spouting on a stage help the average Joe? That actually turned me off speaking for life which I have found a major detriment but do they care? No.

How about sports? OK so we have had a Silk, a Launchbury (sp?) and a few others who were a tiny imperceptible minority but need the school attempt to make every pupil an Olympic or Vasaloppet contender ? A moderate level of physical fitness as we saw in the 50's is surely sufficient for a long healthy life from which that minority can rise? I remember the Bissett twins who decided to go for steeplechase and trained for it whilst at school.

Does the new language building make for better linguists and if so are they teaching the "right" languages for later life? Is the building itself really truly needed or could they have used existing classrooms?

It seems to me that past management has foisted on the school too many white elephants and that the school should mothball such luxuries and get on with the real education.
What happens if a politician drowns in a river? That is pollution.
What happens if all of them drown? That is solution!!!
Ajarn Philip
Button Grecian
Posts: 1902
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2007 7:30 pm
Real Name: AP

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by Ajarn Philip »

sejintenej wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:17 am I don't argue with many of those BUT do they really need a new drama building - was Big School not enough? Will getting up and spouting on a stage help the average Joe? That actually turned me off speaking for life which I have found a major detriment but do they care? No.
Seriously? The theatre was built 50 YEARS AGO!! The sort of Shakespeare-based "drama" that took place in your day in Big School might well have put me off too, and probably didn't help anyone, never mind the "average Joe", but the facilities in the (then) new theatre and the skills of a dedicated drama teacher did the exact opposite. I've been involved in and taken pleasure from the theatre all my life. You're talking like a troglodyte.

Do the students really need hot showers and a balanced diet? And computers? Bring back slide rules, blackboards and fountain pens; so many unnecessary luxuries that could be done away with... :roll:
AMP
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 279
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2018 12:15 pm
Real Name: Amp

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by AMP »

The Theatre is an example of money well spent.
Maybe too well, but at least the seating has now been upgraded.
The red brick is still modern and being based on The Globe will never date.
Compare that to the South Bank and Royal Festival Hall which look very tired and definitely 50s.
It serves many purposes, not just educational and has helped raise the profile of the school and extra cash.
Mastermind etc
Remember going to a regional version of Question Time during the '87 election and observing a chain smoking Ken Clarke and Charles Kennedy backstage.
Food and accomodation on the other hand has probably gone too far the other way.. Have heard that some staff limit themselves to one dining hall appearance per week for fear of becoming (too) overweight.
Last edited by AMP on Tue Jan 19, 2021 9:21 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
LongGone
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 383
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:17 pm
Real Name: Mike Adams
Location: New England

Re: Covid 19 Hardship Fund

Post by LongGone »

"Bring back slide rules, blackboards and fountain pens; so many unnecessary luxuries that could be done away with... "

Slide rules and fountain pens!! What sort of nonsense is this? Fingers and an honest nib pen that sprayed in all directions were good enough for us.
If a stone falls on an egg: alas for the egg
If an egg falls on a stone: alas for the egg
Post Reply