Pupils ranging from just three-years-old to 18-years-old, from 15 schools within The Painsley Catholic Academy, have raised an impressive total of over £16,000 for CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) the international development charity.

The schools started their fundraising in December and selected the CAFOD World Gifts campaign. Gifts include goats, vegetable gardens, toilets, water facilities and reading programmes!

Pupils took part in a range of fundraisers, from Christmas jumper days to cake sales, non-uniform days and creating luxury hampers to be raffled. The children at St Anne’s Catholic Primary School in Stafford enjoyed making craft items to sell and took part in multiplication tables challenges and a pyjama day.

Children at St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School in Stone took part in a mini-marathon and older students at Blessed William Howard Catholic High School, Stafford, organised a giant game of musical chairs in the sports hall with an entrance fee and a small charge for spectators.

Zac Byrne from St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School, in Tean, raised an amazing £300 with a sponsored head shave on the last day of term.

Stephen Bell, Chief Executive Officer of The Painsley Catholic Academy, said: "As a Catholic community, we teach all of our children to care for each other, particularly the most vulnerable. The world faces many challenges and we are proud to support those who are less fortunate than ourselves. We must work together to build a better world for the future. Taking part in these joint fundraising activities is a great way of doing this and CAFOD World Gifts really make our pupils appreciate the impact that they can have. Our pupils, of all ages, really enjoy coming up with new and fun ideas to raise these funds.”

Fundraising for CAFOD will continue into the coming months, with the hope of boosting the total by even more and many schools are already planning activities for Lent.

The Staffordshire-based Painsley Catholic Academy comprises 15 schools, 13 primaries and two secondary schools with sixth forms.

Photograph: Mini-marathon runners from St Dominic's