World’s Biggest Coffee Morning
117. David Clifford
A teacher from Clackmannanshire has, alongside two other members of staff, led a school’s efforts to become one of Macmillan’s most successful fundraisers for the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.
For the last seven years David Clifford, a teacher at Alva Academy, Clackmannanshire, has helped to lead fundraising events and challenges for Macmillan Cancer Support. The school has raised over £100,000 since 2003 and is the highest non corporate fundraiser in the UK for the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.
Alva Academy’s Coffee Morning, to be held tomorrow, will be the culmination of a month’s worth of fundraising with events ranging from bands nights, ceilidhs, cake sales, cross country cycles to walks to Ben Nevis treks. Every member of the school participates in some way and many local businesses and the wider community come together to fundraise in the build up to the day. Nine hundred school children, local dignitaries and guests will feast on 2000 cups of tea, coffee and squash in the school sports hall and music rooms.
David supports a group of sixth form students at the school that leads on the fundraising and has been a constant source of help over the past seven years, offering encouragement and practical advice to the young people. His dedication and lead on the school’s fundraising committee has enabled the school to continue to fundraise and the school is on track to raise over £20,000 this month alone for Macmillan. David works alongside fellow teachers Shiona Finn and Kirsty Bennie on the Alva Academy Charity Committee.
Alva Academy is based in a small community and the incredible amounts of money raised by the school for Macmillan each year has meant that they are able to fund all Macmillan Patient Grants for people living in their home district of Clackmannanshire. The students know that they are making a direct impact on people living with cancer in their local area.
In recognition of this the school was awarded the Douglas Macmillan award, Macmillan’s highest accolade for their phenomenal contribution to the organisation in 2011.
Macmillan Cancer Support provides support to hundreds of thousands of patients, carers and families affected by cancer in the UK. They fund nurses and specialist health care professionals, build cancer care centres, provide emotional support and guidance as well as give financial help to help with the costs that cancer can bring. World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan’s largest fundraising event, which last year raised over £20 million. To sign up to host a coffee morning in your area click here.
Prime Minister David Cameron said:
“David leads a team of dedicated students and teachers and has raised an incredible £100,000 for Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning initiative over the last 10 years. Thanks to David’s guidance and help Alva Academy is the highest non corporate fundraiser in the UK for the event. I am delighted to recognise David as a Point of Light today”.
David said:
“I am extremely humbled yet incredibly proud to accept this prestigious award on behalf of Alva Academy. The dedication and generosity shown by our pupils, staff and wider community never fails to amaze Kirsty, Shiona or myself. We have seen the phenomenal work that Macmillan do and we are proud to play a small part in supporting their work with those affected by cancer”
Macmillan’s Director in Scotland, Elspeth Atkinson said:
“David and his team of sixth form pupils are hugely deserving winners of this award and we are delighted their hard work and dedication has been recognised. Macmillan couldn’t provide the vital practical, emotional and financial support to people affected by cancer without support like this. We are incredibly grateful to all the pupils and teachers at Alva Academy who do so much to support us year after year.”
Gordon Banks MP said:
“It is thoroughly deserving that Mr Clifford is the recipient of the Point of Light award. For around 15 years Alva Academy has been setting the bar in its fundraising for Macmillan and each year the school surpasses the monumental totals previously raised. The pupils who are encouraged throughout the whole school to play their part in the community deserve our heartfelt thanks and Mr Clifford who has played a significant role year after year deserves this award for his commitment and dedication. It is this type of community effort, spirit and dedication that we can all be proud of and Mr Clifford’s leadership is of great importance in Alva Academy’s ambitions.”