Southampton youngsters raise over £300 for local animal rescue charity
Our Junior Neighbourhood Wardens have celebrated the end of a busy summer, which saw the youngsters help to organise four community events that raised hundreds of pounds for charity
Photo: Jasmine and Rosina Folkes (Junior Neighbourhood Wardens), Councillor Lisa Mitchell (Southampton City Council), Rose Milne (Second Chance Animal Rescue Southampton) and Ian Mitchell (Southampton City Council)
Each of the Get Active Days at Mansel Park, Millbrook, attracted up to 700 residents to enjoy free activities like football, soft archery, a bungee run, and an inflatable assault course. Representatives from Southampton City Council, housing association Abri and community group Millbrook Matters also supported the events by running information stalls and providing entertainment.
The Junior Neighbourhood Wardens hosted their own face painting stall, with proceeds amounting to £318.80 being donated to Second Chance Animal Rescue Southampton. The charity, which helps to support and rehome dogs, cats, and other small animals across the city, was specially selected by the children as the recipient of their fundraising efforts.
Councillor Lisa Mitchell, Cabinet Member for Housing and the Green Environment, Southampton City Council, said: “The Junior Neighbourhood Wardens have been busy raising money for charity and raising over £300 for Second Chance Animal Rescue Centre is a fantastic achievement. They did this through a series of Get Active Days which also helped bring the local community together. This is something they spend a lot of their spare time doing, working alongside the council's neighbourhood wardens to improve their local area. We're so proud of these young people and the contribution they make to our city.”
Rose Milne, Rescue Co-ordinator, Second Chance Animal Rescue Southampton, said: “It is wonderful that these children are taking on such worthwhile projects and in turn raising money for us and other charities. We really do appreciate all their hard work raising over £300. You are fantastic!”
The Junior Neighbourhood Wardens scheme is a council-run not-for-profit community project working with over 120 children, aged 7-12, across the city on activities such as gardening, graffiti removal, litter picking, charity fundraising, and befriending and combatting loneliness locally. The scheme helps them to develop a sense of pride and respect for their neighbourhood and promotes a positive image of children in the community.
