Torbay and Devon Civic Award students making a difference …
Pictured: Karen Thomson (Award Founder) Jo Castle (PATH) Ethan Dunne, Matty Christie-Mutch and Kim Lott (Hector’s House)
All over Torbay and Devon, over 500 ten and eleven year old pupils are actively working towards their Torbay and Devon Civic Award, taking part in various activities to support their communities and causes they feel strongly about.
Two such pupils are Ethan Dunne and Matty Christie-Mutch from Torquay. Ethan and Matty have been beach cleaning to raise much needed funds for their chosen charities: PATH Torbay and Hector’s House, as well as cleaning up the environment.
But these are not small beach cleans! So far, Ethan and Matty have collected a whopping 73kg of rubbish from Torbay beaches. From Maidencombe to Preston and every beach in between, Ethan and Matty have been busy. ‘The weather and tides have held us back at times,’ said Matty’s mother Catherine Christie-Mutch. ‘But the boys have been so enthusiastic and determined that we have ventured out in all weathers!’ Recent storms have had a huge effect on our beaches and Matty has described their dismay upon returning to Torre Abbey Sands, after cleaning it, to find it strewn with rubbish again. ‘It’s frustrating when that happens,’ said Matty and Ethan ‘But we just have to keep going and when we’ve cleaned the beach, we feel so proud because we’ve helped the creatures there and the environment – and, of course, our chosen charities through the money we’ve raised.’ The boys have also held a Bake Sale to raise further funds and are currently planning another one!
A Gofund.me page and a Facebook page was set up last year and the total currently stands at £450. ‘That’s £225 for each of our charities,’ said Matty. ‘But we’re not stopping yet! We want to reach £600 or maybe even more!’
Since childhood, Ethan has been concerned about people who are homeless. ‘It’s not their fault,’ he told me as he explained how he has felt moved to help. During Covid, Ethan and his family made and delivered food to homeless people in their community and found out about the work of PATH. He immediately chose this as the charity he wanted to support for his civic Award.
Matty is a cat lover! His family has two cats, one from Hector’s House, and it was an easy decision for him to choose that charity as his supported cause. ‘Cats should be loved,’ he told me. ‘But some are sick and troubled, and I want their hurts to be healed.’
PATH, which stands for People Assisting Torbay’s Homeless, is a local community, non-profit charity run and supported totally by volunteers. ‘We help those who find themselves homeless,’ said Jo Castle representing the charity. PATH also supports individuals and families who are at risk of homelessness or in crisis and offers support to individuals and families in food poverty across Torbay. PATH provides a food bank, evening hot food and supplies and signposts to all local responsible charities and local authority services.
Jo Castle said, ‘We see the commitment in these boys which our adult volunteers show in their work. We are really grateful for their support.’
Hector’s House are a local cat rescues service based in Torbay, Devon, UK working predominantly with stray cats who, through no fault of their own, cannot easily be housed. Hector’s House is formed of volunteers who have experience working with cat rescues but have a passion for the strays. They care for them, treat them, foster them and eventually find them their forever families.
‘This money from the boys will really help us look after the cats in our care,’ explained Kim Lott, Hector’s House Centre Manager.
The Torbay and Devon Civic Award, established 21 years ago by Karen Thomson, former teacher and now Educational Consultant, is an award for pupils in their final year of primary school and aims to balance the curriculum in Y6 with Character and Values Education to help children become well-rounded, confident and caring individuals who strive to make a difference in their various communities and are prepared to take responsibility for change. Karen was inspired to create the award by a deep belief that education should develop children’s attitudes and values as well as transferable skills to equip them for a future none of us can yet imagine. Currently 41 primary schools are taking part and over 700 children are enrolled for the year. The boys are pupils at St Marychurch Primary School; a school which has been involved with the award for many years.
Part of the Torbay and Devon Civic Award involves making a Pledge to the Planet. Both boys are quite sure that their pledge to keep their environment clean, will be for life, and not just for their last year at primary school.
‘We are really proud of Ethan and Matty for their dedication,’ said Leanne Woodruff who coordinates the award at the school. ‘They are two of many of our Year 6 pupils who are so keen and active with their work towards the Torbay and Devon Civic Award this year.’
Now that the weather is improving, Matty and Ethan are planning even more beach cleaning outings. ‘We know we are making a difference,’ they said, ‘And when people work for the things they believe in, things get better.’
‘We’re excited for a new future,’ said Ethan.
Anyone wishing to follow Matty and Ethan’s Civic Award journey on Facebook can do so at: https://www.facebook.com/share/18s1RzbGGL/
If anyone would like to contribute financially, Ethan and Matty’s site is actively accepting donations on their page: https://gofund.me/9a6a3dea
