FROM bake sales and Christmas jumpers to cross country runs, a school is pulling out all the stops to raise hundreds of pounds for local and national causes.

Barnard Castle School in County Durham raised £940 from a collection held before Christmas and this month its charity commission chose to donate the money to Butterwick Hospice, the Sick Children’s Trust, Kids Company, the Little Princess Trust and the Rainbow Trust.

The committee, made up of sixth form students, has arranged a host of fundraising activities in recent months, including a Christmas Jumper Day in aid of Save the Children which raised £459 plus match funding from the Government.

Youngsters also held a bake sale for Children in Need; donated 160 boxes of Christmas gifts to Moldova as part of Barnard Castle Rotary Club’s shoebox appeal; and wrote letters to Amnesty International for the Prisoners of Conscience appeal.

And this week, the school raised money for Smile for a Child after selecting it as its chosen charity for the annual Barney Bash, a series of cross country runs which culminates in the Barnard Run tomorrow (Friday, February 13).

Launched six years ago, Smile for a Child provides grants to enable disabled and disadvantaged children to participate in sport.

Andrea Campbell, head of politics who oversees the committee, said: “I have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and dedication of the students on the committee.

“They do a great deal of research behind these charities, some less widely known. We hope to raise more money for further charities over the cause of the year.”