LONG AND SHORT OF IT: George Hannah is wearing shorts to raise money for his school. Picture: HELEN DRAKE 5889
AN 11-YEAR-OLD schoolboy is wearing shorts to school throughout the winter to raise money to pay for his school s new extension. George Hannah, a Year 6 pupil at Abbots Ripton Church of England Primary School, has raised £287 so far, though he admits that
AN 11-YEAR-OLD schoolboy is wearing shorts to school throughout the winter to raise money to pay for his school's new extension.
George Hannah, a Year 6 pupil at Abbots Ripton Church of England Primary School, has raised £287 so far, though he admits that his legs were a bit cold last week.
He told The Hunts Post: "It was minus two a couple of days ago and I did feel the cold but I am still carrying on.
"I got the idea from my dad. It was over breakfast in October. Everyone wears shorts during the summer at our school and I said I wanted to keep on wearing them, and my dad said: 'You could make some money out of that'.
"I like wearing shorts because my legs feel free."
The school has issued a sponsorship form for George, appealing for people not to "let his knees suffer in silence".
The leaflet says: "Back in November we received a letter from one of our Year 6 pupils with an idea for a fantastic personal challenge to help us raise money for the school's contribution to the building fund."
This is George's pledge: "My promise to the school is to wear shorts from November until I leave in July. Most of this period is during the winter months so, as I said, my promise to the school is to wear shorts whatever the weather: snow, frost, ice, rain, hail, sleet, sunshine and evening raining knives! So please spare a few pennies for my icy, knobbly knees."
The new extension allows the school almost to double in size with a new library, new lavatories, another classroom, two new cloakrooms and an extended staffroom. The building cost some £350,000, funded by the Diocese of Ely and the school's contribution is 10 per cent (£35,000) which it has to repay to the diocese. So far the school has raised £12,300.
Fundraising projects have included a barn dance and an auction of promises and more planned for this year. George is being supported in his project by little sister Felicity, eight, mum Caroline and dad Ashley. But by the time he gets back into his long trousers next summer, they could well be too short.
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