Students from The Compton School win £5,000 grant for Grief Encounter

Last December marked the 25th anniversary of the Jack Petchey Foundation, and the celebrations were unforgettable. The event, held at His Majesty’s Theatre in London, showcased the lasting impact of Sir Jack Petchey CBE through inspiring performances by numerous young people.

First Give had the honour of not only attending but also inviting young people from our programme to showcase their work.

Four students from one of our long-term partners, The Compton School, had the opportunity to share their experiences with the First Give programme while passionately advocating for a charity that had become close to their hearts. Their powerful presentation left a lasting impression on the audience, earning them a winning spot and securing an additional £5,000 grant from the Jack Petchey Foundation for their chosen charity, Grief Encounter.

We hear directly from the students about how they started their journey, how they selected their charity, and what it felt like to secure the £5,000 grant.

How did it start?

Through our First Give programme, a whole year group of students engages in a dynamic experience where they identify social issues that they care about, connect with local charities, and develop and deliver social action projects for those charities. In the latter half of the programme, students prepare engaging and creative presentations that they’ll showcase at their school’s First Give Final – an exciting celebration at the end of their programme where the year group compete in their classes to secure a £1,000 First Give grant on behalf of their class charity.

At The Compton School, Aaron, Charlie, Daniella and Lana, representing form 8S and their charity Grief Encounter, blew the judges away with their phenomenal presentation. They displayed meticulous research and provided detailed insights into grief support. They delivered it with passion and maturity, leaving a powerful impact on the audience, and therefore winning £1000 the grant!

Why Grief Encounter?

The students’ research showed that 1 in 29 children between the ages of 5-16 lose a parent or a sibling, which means that in an average classroom, there is likely to be at least one child who has experienced such a loss. Aaron was one of those children.

“After my dad sadly passed away, I felt jealous when I saw other kids playing with their mum and dad. I only had my mum. I felt they did not understand my feelings and would sometimes tell offensive jokes. Finding Grief Encounter, a local charity that gives the best possible support to bereaved children and young people was a big help to me, my brother, and my mum. There, we participated in 10-week sessions, where we spent time with other kids who also lost a loved one, by doing fun activities. They also provided other crucial services, such as counselling, support groups and resources, to help families navigate the challenging journey of grief.” 

Aaron’s lived experience truly inspired all his form peers to act and help other children like Aaron. Charlie shares: “We found out that grief is a common problem that is often overlooked and can be an incredibly devastating and isolating experience. As a form group, we decided to help more young people like Aaron who are coping with grief. We invited Grief Encounter to visit us and to find out how we can help them to fulfill their aim to support as many young people in bereavement as possible. We found out that just £10 can get a specialist bereavement storybook for a child, using stories to help younger children understand feelings of grief”.

The students were therefore determined to aim for the winning spot and try to do their best to secure the £1000 grant.

Daniela recalls, “To win First Give and assist our charity, we raised money by organising a basketball tournament with around 40 participants. During this event, we also raised awareness about Grief Encounter. That’s not all! We created our own Kahoot quiz about the teachers. We shared their baby photos, and students had to guess who they were. To take part, you had to contribute by donating to the charity”. 

Lana adds, “It was a great success, as it attracted various members of the school community and raised awareness of our charity and its important work.”

What did they learn on the programme?

Taking part in First Give had a lasting impact on the students, offering both personal growth and valuable skills. For Charlie, the experience helped them gain a deeper understanding of grief and the importance of charity work. It also sparked a sense of empowerment, showing that young people can make a real difference, especially when working together.

Both Daniella and Aaron mentioned how they formed connections with their team and other students they might not have spent time with otherwise. They all agree that the program helped them develop skills in areas such as research, project planning, and, most notably, presenting.

Charlie, who used to dislike speaking in front of large audiences, shared: “I don’t like speaking to big crowds, but First Give helped me gain more confidence in doing so!”

Lana added, “We all gained confidence, and the students in my group have developed their vocal skills, learning to speak louder and share ideas more effectively.”

Despite the challenges, the students were eager to share how they overcame them. Charlie highlighted the importance of teamwork: “Not everyone agreed with my ideas, but I realised we needed to listen to each other and consider everyone’s thoughts.”

I don’t like speaking to big crowds, but First Give helped me gain more confidence in doing so!

Charlie, The Compton School

For Daniella, overcoming nervousness was a key hurdle: “I had to remind myself of the importance of our work and why we were doing it.”

Aaron also faced doubts about whether they were good enough but explained how he overcame them – “I got through it by practicing a lot and having faith.”

How did it feel to win?

Being chosen to take part in the Jack Petchey Foundation event in December and representing their chosen charity made the students feel truly excited and happy. Lana commented that “It made me feel privileged and special.”

The Foundation’s Celebrate event will hold memories of sheer happiness and accomplishment for the students. Congratulations again to Aaron, Charlie, Daniella, Lana and all the participating students, and thank you to the Jack Petchey Foundation for giving these young people the opportunity to show what they can achieve.