The Grace Secondary School Appeal, run by Dorchester couple Richard and Claire Budd, has reached a landmark target that will ensure the school can open to pupils next year.  But it's not quite "mission accomplished" explains Claire Budd.

"We have been raising money here in Dorset - with help from further afield in the south and also in Northern Ireland - for just over a year now. Our total recently passed the amazing £50,000 mark and now a Northern Ireland based charity CMS Ireland has secured £24,000. This means that once this money has been transferred our total will reach £76,000. This covers the cost of building the school and beginning to kit it out with all the things needed for it to open in January 2010." 

"This is the most amazing news and we are still completely gobsmacked at the amount of money raised in such a short time and during a terrible time for most people financially.  Every penny we raise goes directly to the project, we don't take a penny for any expenses or administration, we cover that ourselves or ask local businesses to sponsor us (see the list on our website).  We want once again to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us in any way" 

"The most important thing to say is that we still have a long way to go - but we can go forward with the pupils beginning their studies and fix them up with all the other things they need when they are already learning.  Our next challenge is to raise the £32,000 a year running costs, which include food for the pupils as it is a boarding school.  We already have a number of "friends of the school" giving a small amount each month by direct debit and we are continuing with our fundraising events. 

"We have other big plans that include not just the pupils of Grace Secondary School but the rest of the community, education classes at the school, very important HIV/AIDs awareness workshops (the area was cut off for 20 years and many have not heard of the disease while others are returning home having lived in areas badly affected) and a clinic based at the school to serve everyone as well"

The next event is our spectacular Charity Christmas Ball on Sunday 20th December 2009 at Kingston Maurward College near Dorchester. TICKETS HAVE JUST GONE ON SALE. We held it last year and it was a wonderful night with so many people giving their time and talents without payment to give the guests a huge amount for their £45 ticket - including a wonderful three course meal.  For tickets contact Claire Budd on 07854 173 244 or by email Claire@GraceSecondarySchool.com  

Anyone who would like to become a friend of the school or sponsor a teacher should go to www.GraceSecondarySchool.com or ring Claire Budd on 07854 173 244