€15k target for Mountnugent school’s fundraising auction
Everything from fuel to fodder, a Belgian Blue heifer calf, vouchers and much, much more will go on sale when Mountnugent’s Scoil Bhríde hosts a fundraising auction this coming weekend.
More than 300 lots will go under the hammer with bidding starting at 2pm on Saturday, April 2. All proceeds will go directly to Scoil Bhríde to enhance existing school facilities and purchase modern equipment for students.
The Mountnugent National School Parents Association have set an overall fundraising target of €15,000. At the time of going to print, an online donations page had already generated €1,000.
Current enrolment at Scoil Bhríde is 79 students and the classes, from Junior Infants to Sixth Class, occupy the school’s four classrooms.
A spokesperson for the school’s Parents Association said: “There are many benefits for our students being educated in a small country school when compared to urban areas. We have smaller class sizes, excellent teacher-student interaction and a huge sense of closeness among students themselves. However, there is one large drawback for our school and this is finance.”
What the school hopes to achieve with the monies raises is to equip classrooms with more modern furniture; provide students with access to hi-tech learning supports such as iPads or computers to teach basic skills for modern communication; as well as upgrading Scoil Bhríde’s outdoor facilities – new football goals, basketball nets, garden area, walking track and possibly new playground facilities.
The PTA hopes that renewed investment in the school will assist in filling the shortfall created by a reduction in the capitation grant, which has come about as a direct result of a slowly declining school population over the past 10 years. “This has had a significant impact on the school’s finances and has led to a shortfall in the funds needed to run the school. To allow our students (and future students) to have access to necessary and updated resources we are trying to raise funds in a fun and exciting way.”
Along with the items listed in the intro, the ‘Super Auction’ will feature a range of goods and services too, much of which has been donated directly by businesses and families living in the local community and surrounding area.
An experienced auctioneer has also been appointed to conduct the sale; while the school has enlisted Cavan Autism Parents Support Group (CAPS) as its chosen charity on the day, and will donate a portion of the monies raised to the local charity, which support parents, carers and children/young adults with autism.
“We hope (with fingers crossed) that we could reach a target of €15,000. This is a massive task, but we believe it is achievable with the support of businesses, communities, clubs, families, volunteers, past and present students and teachers.”
The Scoil Bhríde Super Auction takes place at the school at 2pm on Saturday, April 2.
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