Category: News

Acts of Charity Day takes place annually. Our Act of Charity Day helps our students to establish and emphasise the values that are important to us at Christ the King Sixth Forms. Our students spend the day contributing in a positive way in their local communities.  The day provides the opportunity for students to take part in a group social action activity with their 10:10 tutor group. In previous years this has included as varied activities as litter picking to helping in local Churches, foodbanks and Primary schools. 

If you know of a local organisation or business who would like our students’ involvement with a charitable activity to support the local community then please contact:

St Mary’s –  Ms Rosie Salmon r.salmon@ctksfc.ac.uk  

Aquinas – Ms Lesley Davis l.davis@ctksfc.ac.uk

Emmanuel – Ms Sylvia Harris s.harris@ctlsfc.ac.uk

Below are photos of students from last years Acts of Charity Day 2022.

Music Relief 2023

After half term the focus of our social action and charity fundraising will be Music Relief and students will be taking part in arrange of activities and fund raising events to support this charity.

Music Relief Foundation was founded in 2011 by Magdalene Adenaike. The charity was inspired by Magdalene’s first-hand experiences of the hardships, isolation, and challenges faced by becoming a teenage parent. During this period, she discovered the transformative power of music and the importance of bringing other teenage mothers together to share their experiences. With these two revelations, the idea for Music Relief Foundation was born. Their mission is to empower and develop young people (and their families) using the medium of music and through music, to establish the improved wellbeing of individuals through increased resilience, confidence and hope.

Mental Health Awareness Week

This week students and staff have getting involved in a range of activities and information sessions with the aim of raising awareness and getting students talking about mental health. Every day the Wellbeing Team sent out information and strategies to promote good mental health including a leaflet on how to cope with Exam Stress and one on how to cope with Loneliness. During the week there were several activities and information session taking place on all our sites.   

Just some examples are:

At St Mary’s in the LRC there was a large display focussing on anxiety with tips and approaches on how to manage its effect and suggestions of actions that can be tried both personally and with friends and colleagues. The display also includes a library of self-help books and details of professional services that can be contacted. 

At Aquinas one of the activities for the week was getting out for a walk at lunchtime with students and staff getting out to take some time to enjoy the fresh air. 

At Emmanuel students and staff created a thought board on how to manage stress and anxiety.  The board was positioned in the reception area and students and staff were encouraged to  come along and post their ideas on the post-it notes available; every thought or idea was exchanged for a sweet. This will provide a great source of tips and hints on how to manage anxiety for students and staff.

The Virtual Careers Conference at Christ the King Sixth Form has gone from strength to strength over recent years. Having started through necessity with the Covid19 pandemic it now gives students a chance not only to support their progression but to upskill themselves with remote learning.

The cross-site event comprises a variety of university and career-based talks that students join online via Microsoft Teams. The day provides a fantastic opportunity for our Level 3 students to start thinking about their future and to explore their progression options. As in previous years, a Level 1 & 2 Careers Conference was held which offered specific support to students studying a BTEC Level 1 or 2 course with their own progression.

Over 50 external organisations supported the Conference by providing speakers for the talks.  Many of the participants were returning, having attended the event in previous years.  The programme of talks included sessions on a wide range of careers from Medicine and the NHS to entrepreneurship, journalism, engineering, banking and many more.

Later in the academic year, on Friday 16th June 2023, we will also be holding an in-person Careers Fair/Exhibition. At this event students will be able to meet a range of universities, apprenticeship providers, employers, and other support organisations, face to face to support their progression. 

On Saturday 18th March CTK Sixth Forms were invited, along with other charities and social action groups within the archdiocese,  to exhibit the charitable and social action work they are involved in.  The exhibition took place in the Amigo Hall after Mass in St Georges Cathedral Southwark.  This initiative was supported by the Archbishop who has a specific interest in schools showcasing their philanthropic activities.

Staff and students from CTK set up a stall in the hall, showcasing their work through banners, posters, and leaflets. This was an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of the many social action projects, charity events and community action events that CTK Sixth Forms support, and the positive impact that schools are having in their communities, and to encourage others to get involved in charitable work.

As in previous years we ran our Easter Egg /Chocolate Appeal for charity.  This year we are supporting Demelza Hospice which provides  end of life care for children and young people, and bereavement support for families, and SVP (Society of St Vincent De Paul) an international Christian voluntary organisation dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage. 

Despite the challenging times we are currently in, we received an overwhelming response to our request for Easter eggs and chocolate to give to our two nominated charities.  As part of the Community Day activities, students helped to box up and deliver the egg and chocolate donations on the last day of term.

Thank you so much to everyone who donated to this appeal – we are sure that children at both charities were very appreciative of receiving some Easter treats. 

Unforgettable Paris – A Four Day Visit

“What a Wonderful Experience.” Our students wanted to stay longer!!! ….. Twenty-four students from the Art and French Departments from Christ the King had a brilliant time and, as great globetrotters in the making, made the most of each moment.

An excellent trip! I wish I had been able to record the moment our students discovered the Eiffel Tower by night. This iconic symbol of Paris shone like a bright star and the awe and wonder on the students’ faces was priceless! The Arc de Triomphe and a stroll down the Champs Elysée were the backdrop to our students who posed like superstars, in this majestic Avenue of the City of Light. As they raised their cameras, our students became amateur ‘influencers’, happy to share the moment with their friends back home.

 Of course, Paris would not be Paris without its political scene and students witnessed vociferous protestors defending their retirement age rights, adding a touch of social realism, during their tour of the Trocadero. Meanwhile, one of our students, unperturbed by the demonstrations, enjoyed roller skating …… “La belle vie!” Whether visiting the Louvre, the Rodin Museum of the famous “Thinker”, or Museum of Modern Art and Museum d’Orsay, all were a feast for the eyes and senses. Our journey led us, as well, to reflect on the timeless paintings, artists and their lives. Often, the students rested, silent, thoughtful or bewildered before these sometimes evocative or provocative images and messages from the past. This was a most inspiring, beautiful and amazing journey through time not forgetting the delicious French gastronomy – escargot or cuisse de grenouille? But, whether you consider the Centre Pompidou as an architectural masterpiece or the Ugliest Museum in the World, is still up for debate. Our students’ opinions were divided on that question – to the dismay of the Art teachers present! From the view within the Centre, however, the panoramic spectacle from the 5th Floor left all of us unanimously, enchanted.

One student who attended the trip said;

“I very much enjoyed my time in Paris and the experience was unforgettable. I was able to immerse myself in French culture, seeing iconic landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower and learning about how they represented different points in French history. We also went to a lot of museums where we were able to look at the different aspects of the art culture there. Going to the Louvre was my favourite part of the trip. I got to see a variety of famous artwork from all around the world including “Liberty Leading the People” by Delacroix. We also visited the Museum of Modern Art where I learnt about the work of Christian Boltanski. There is an exhibit of his work with old telephone books with the idea of bringing everyone in the world into one place which I thought was very creative.”

Christ the King Sixth Forms were overwhelmed by the response to our 48 hour Emergency appeal to staff, students and local residents, to donate items to help those affected by this disaster.

We were delighted to see the community of local residents, staff and students come together to give generously.  The donations were collected and will be driven to the most affected areas in Turkey on Saturday.

New facilities including a mock Hospital Ward to benefit T Level Nursing students was opened and blessed by The Archbishop.

His Excellency, The Most Revered Archbishop for Southwark and Metropolitan, John Wilson, and other VIP guests attended the opening of the new T Level hospital ward at CTK Emmanuel today.

CTK Emmanuel were delighted to secure the funding from the Department of Education, to open this fantastic, state-of-the art vocational facility, which is used to train and support Health T Level students who are studying to become Adult Health Nurses.  

The ward is named St Theresa’s in homage to the secondary school, which was originally at the CTK site, before it became a Sixth Form in 1993.

These outstanding new facilities have been designed by employers to ensure they are fit for purpose and meet the needs of employers to train up future nurses and medical professionals.  The ward features a range of equipment, such as, specialised prosthetic patients, across a range of ages and with a variety of illnesses, hospital beds and an observation room.  Students will be able to learn tasks such as taking swabs, blood pressure readings, vital statistics and temperatures, and to gain experience in treating patients and diagnosing symptoms across a range of illnesses from child to adult.

St Theresa’s Ward is the third project to be completed for students studying at CTK Emmanuel, with earlier projects creating a contemporary business space and revolutionising the engineering space into modern technology labs.

As a specialist vocational Catholic Sixth Form, CTK Emmanuel places great importance on employment links.  Students attend weekly work placements and the Sixth Form has forged relationships with local hospital trusts. Staff from Queen Elizabeth’s hospital in Woolwich were delighted to attend the grand opening and see for themselves the outstanding facilities on offer.

CTK Emmanuel, located on Belmont Hill, close to Lewisham and Blackheath, is a successful Sixth Form serving 16-19 learners from in and around Southeast London.   The Sixth Form offers the widest range of vocational courses locally in a Catholic Sixth Form environment and has recently added T Levels to the curriculum offering.

His Excellency, The Most Revered Archbishop for Southwark and Metropolitan, John Wilson, said;

“I was delighted and honoured by the invitation to visit CTK Emmanuel Sixth Form, and to open and bless the new T-Level Health and Science teaching and learning facilities, which included the aptly named, St Theresa’s Ward.  It was a joy to witness the tremendous work and dedication of the teachers, along with the remarkable enthusiasm of the students towards their studies.  The Lord Jesus teaches us to bring the Gospel message of His love into our daily lives, and into our world. It is my continued prayer that the CTK community will continue to flourish in this mission; and thus, I give thanks for their exceptional contribution to the Catholic Education of our young people in the Archdiocese of Southwark, and invoke God’s blessing upon all the staff, students”.

Christ the King Sixth Forms Executive Principal Shireen Razey said;

“We were delighted to receive this funding from the Department of Education to develop these outstanding facilities.  These new state-of-the-art facilities will benefit our leaners for many years to come and the T Level in Health will ensure we are meeting local employers and skills needs and training the next generation of medical professionals. We were honoured that The Archbishop could officially open and bless the new area for us.  The addition of this hospital ward to our other new facilities at CTK Emmanuel means we are able to offer learners the widest range of vocational courses in a Catholic Sixth Form environment”.

CTK Emmanuel Student Governor Portia gave a heart-warming speech. She thanked everyone for coming and talked about how impressive it is that students will be able to operate such great facilities with real-life scenarios.

In keeping with the Sixth Form’s Catholic mission, Archbishop John Wilson, blessed the opening of the new centre and the CTK Emmanuel gospel choir sang a beautiful rendition of ‘Let your presence fall’, ‘The goodness of God’ and ‘Hallelujah’ to the VIP guests and students. Staff, students and Christ the King Sixth Form Governors, were delighted to be able to celebrate together at this momentous occasion for the Sixth Form.

You can read more in the press here:

Archbishop Wilson opens new T-Level Hospital Ward at CTK Emmuanuel: Archdiocese of Southwark (rcaos.org.uk)

https://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk/news-events/news/archbishop-wilson-opens-new-t-level-hospital-ward-at-ctk-emmuanuel/

Christ the King Sixth Forms and EKC Group Christmas Gift Appeal update

In November and December 2022 our Christmas Gift Appeal ran with all gifts and money raised going towards child hospice charity Demelza House, domestic abuse charity Refuge, homelessness group Porchlight and the St Vincent De Paul Society, which tackles poverty and disadvantage. Now in its third year, the campaign run by husband-and-wife team Shireen Razey (Executive Principal of Christ the King Sixth Forms) and Graham Razey (CEO of East Kent College Group) targets those in need, spreading festive cheer through the collaboration.

Over 300 gifts were donated and distributed to the charities to help families in need in South East London and Kent over the Christmas period. In addition a total £1774 was raised from an online auction of artwork produced by students of both Colleges.

We would like to thank everyone who donated gifts or money to the appeal and those who bought the artwork.

Lewisham local Rupert Evenett, awarded MBE for services to the community and education

Christ the King Sixth Forms’ Chair of Governors Rupert Evenett was awarded an MBE for his services to Education and to the community in the New Year’s honours list.

Lewisham and Greenwich local, Rupert Evenett has been Chair of Governors at Christ the King Catholic Sixth Forms since 2014.

Rupert was nominated by Christ the King Sixth Forms for his tireless work in harnessing the power of education to transform lives, making a real difference to the communities of Southeast London and Kent.  A former student of St Dunstan’s in Catford, Rupert was born and bred and still lives in South London, and is passionate about giving back to his local community. 

Throughout his tenure as Chair of Governors, Rupert has been instrumental in steering Christ the King Sixth Forms, supporting the successful takeover of two failing schools, presiding over the significant expansion of Christ the King Sixth Forms, and ensuring strong curriculum offering benefits to its local communities.  As a passionate advocate for social justice, Rupert championed the introduction of the CTK Diversity and Inclusion Committee.  He has been a key driving force in implementing the Sixth Forms’ Social Mobility strategy.  Rupert has also led the Sixth Form’s Eco initiatives and the CTK pledge to become carbon neutral, striving to educate future generations through sustainability.

Rupert has spearheaded social action projects at Christ the King Sixth Forms, including employer partnerships, charity and community work. He initiated the implementation of the CTK ‘Acts of Charity’ volunteering scheme, resulting in CTK students giving more than 4,000 hours to charity and community work annually. His wealth of experience in business and social enterprise has driven the Local Partnership Boards at CTK, ensuring students have the opportunity to take part in employer led initiatives and unique mentoring opportunities from world class businesses.  

Rupert Evenett said:

“This is an honour for which I’m thrilled and grateful. And of course, it’s also a collective recognition of Christ the King Sixth Forms in its 30th anniversary year and of what everyone at Christ the King Sixth Forms has achieved. Over the last several years we have achieved change and growth for the benefit of the students and communities we serve – we’ve launched a high performing A Level college at CTK Aquinas Sixth Form in Brockley, we’ve launched a specialist Vocational and T Level sixth form, CTK Emmanuel, and offer both A Levels and Vocational education at our St Mary’s sixth form in Bexley.  I’m proud to be part of Christ the King Sixth Forms which has served young southeast Londoners so well for the last 30 years and will continue to do so for the next 30 years.”

Christ the King Sixth Forms Executive Principal Shireen Razey said;

“Rupert’s commitment to Christ the King is immeasurable, his drive to provide equity within the local community has transformed the lives of our students. He has presided over a time of great expansion for the sixth forms. The recent restructuring of the curriculum, ensures that young people in the area have unrivalled opportunities, including the chance to study at a selective A Level sixth form, and the widest range of T Level courses on offer in a Catholic Sixth Form environment. This gives local students in Southeast London and Sidcup a chance to flourish in their chosen programme of study and opens the doors for unlimited opportunities, regardless of their background or ability.  We are overjoyed to see his dedication rewarded with this honour.  It is hard to overstate the impact that his commitment has had. His vision, leadership, proactive approach and passion for inclusivity have benefited thousands of CTK students over the years”.

Rupert’s tireless work in the community, has also included support to a number of other organisations.  Including: Trustee and Treasurer of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, Trustee of Alzheimer’s Research UK, Governor of Benenden School and chair of the John Wallis Academy, Member of Council of Goldsmiths, University of London and Chair of the National charity The Conservation Volunteers (TCV).

Christ the King Emmanuel one of only four winners nationally.

On Tuesday 1 November 2022 Christ the King, Emmanuel officially opened its new IKEA Eco Hub which was developed as a result of being one of only 4 winners in the IKEA Let’s Go Zero competition this Summer. Students and teachers submitted their creative ideas to help make their college more sustainable and tackle climate change and as a winner we received IKEA products, solutions and funds to help bring our project vision to life.     

IKEA has helped to transform one of the Sixth Form’s small buildings into a dedicated space for eco work, from hands-on learning and study to planning community activities. The unique space has been equipped with movable furniture that enables learning to take place both indoors and outdoors as needed.    

A big part of the Christ the King Emmanuel vision is involving the wider community in their environmental work including setting up a community garden to running an environmental community day. Their new IKEA eco-hub means they’ll not only be able to take the teaching of sustainability even further, but they can also create a wonderful working and engagement space for their local community and local schools.

Let’s Go Zero: helping schools tackle climate change – IKEA

The Christ the King Sixth Forms and EKC Group Christmas appeal has raised more than £10,000 in donations and gifts

Christmas this year will be a challenging time for many vulnerable families, with the devastating impact of the cost-of-living crisis, now is a more important time than ever to help those in need.

This year’s Christmas Gift Appeal and charity art auction, being organised by Christ The King Sixth Forms (CTK) and EKC Group are hoping to do exactly that.

Now in its third year, the campaign run by husband-and-wife team Shireen Razey (Executive Principal of Christ the King Sixth Forms) and Graham Razey (Chief Executive at EKC Group) targets those in need, spreading festive cheer through the collaboration, with donations and gifts totaling over £10,000 so far.

This year the gifts and money raised will go towards child hospice charity Demelza, domestic abuse charity Refuge, homelessness group Porchlight and the St Vincent De Paul Society, which tackles poverty and disadvantage.

Shireen Razey, Executive Principal of Christ the King Catholic Sixth Forms said: “We are delighted to be supporting our annual Christmas Gift Appeal again this year. Since we began the campaign on the back of the pandemic in 2019, we have made a real difference to countless children in need.

“The cost of living crisis means now more than ever, families are facing real hardship, and we really hope we can make a difference to those at Christmas time. CTK staff and students contribute hugely to social action work within the local community throughout the year, and we are always touched at how we all work together to ensure the Christmas Gift Appeal is such a success to help ensure Christmas is special for families in need.”

The art auction, which is running via this webpage, sees students and staff from across the two College groups donating artworks to be sold for charity.  Bidding closes Thursday 15 December, with items being sent out before Christmas Day.

Graham Razey, Chief Executive of EKC Group, said: “This can be the most magical time of the year for young people across the country. However, it can also be a really difficult time for families who are less fortunate within our communities.

“We started this appeal three years ago with the clear aim of ensuring that everyone was able to share in the joy of Christmas and since then I’m incredibly proud that we’ve managed to raise thousands of pounds for charities across the Southeast, as well as collecting and distributing thousands of presents for young people.

“I’m really excited about this year and am hoping it’ll be our best yet, with some absolutely fantastic pieces of art in our charitable auction!”

This year’s Christmas Gift Appeal follows the success of the previous two outings, which have seen more than 4,500 gifts sent out to young people across Kent and South London.

Suggestions for items that can be donated include toys, puzzles, colouring/puzzle books, gift vouchers, toiletries, chocolates, biscuits and hot beverages.

The deadline for donating gifts is Wednesday 14 December.

For further information or images contact:

Christ the King Sixth Forms: Rebecca Schutze r.schutze@ctksfc.ac.uk 

EKC Group: Charlie Harman Charlie.harman@ekcgroup.ac.uk

Charities

The charities we are collecting for are:

Demelza Hospice Care for Children https://www.demelza.org.uk/

St Vincent de Paul Society https://www.svp.org.uk/node/606

Refuge https://www.refuge.org.uk/ 

Present Drop off locations:

• CTK Emmanuel, Belmont Grove, Blackheath, London SE13 5GE
• CTK Aquinas, Sprules Rd, London SE4 2NL
• CTK St Mary’s, Chislehurst Rd, Sidcup DA14 6BE

• Ashford College, Elwick Road, Ashford, TN23 1NN
• Broadstairs College, Ramsgate Road, Broadstairs, CT10 1PN
• Canterbury College, New Dover Road, Canterbury. CT1 3AJ
• Dover Technical College, Maison Dieu Road, Dover, CT16 1DH
• Folkestone College, Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone. CT20 2TZ
• Sheppey College, Bridge Road, Sheerness, ME12 1HL

Christ the King Sixth Forms celebrates 30 year anniversary

Christ the King Catholic Sixth Forms celebrated their 30^th anniversary on 16^th November 2022, with a special celebratory Mass at St George’s Cathedral.  The Mass was attended by current and former staff and students and was led by Main Celebrant Canon Victor Darlington, Episcopal Vicar for the Southeast Pastoral area.

The Mass was a joyous occasion, reflecting on the past 30 years of CTK, from the beginning, the growth and to the future. The Christ the King community spirit was truly felt from all the guests which included Christ the King Governors, Partner Schools, Diocese colleagues, employers, local board members and current and former staff and students.

The service gave thanks for all that has been achieved at Christ the King Sixth Forms, through the dedication of so many individuals past and present.

Christ the King Sixth Forms Executive Principal Shireen Razey said;

“As Principal of CTK I feel extremely privileged to have been part of the CTK Community for over 20 years. I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to serve at CTK and am personally thankful to everyone who has supported me during this time.  Over the past 30 years CTK has seen much change. Our service today reflects the beginning, development and future of CTK.  However, our Mission and values remain unchanged.  CTK continues to serve and educate our local communities and ensure that all students have the opportunity to flourish and reach their full potential”.

Christ the King Emmanuel one of only four winners nationally.

On Tuesday 1 November 2022 Christ the King, Emmanuel officially opened its new IKEA Eco Hub which was developed as a result of being one of only 4 winners in the IKEA Let’s Go Zero competition this Summer. Students and teachers submitted their creative ideas to help make their college more sustainable and tackle climate change and as a winner we received IKEA products, solutions and funds to help bring our project vision to life.     

IKEA has helped to transform one of the Sixth Form’s small buildings into a dedicated space for eco work, from hands-on learning and study to planning community activities. The unique space has been equipped with movable furniture that enables learning to take place both indoors and outdoors as needed.    

A big part of the Christ the King Emmanuel vision is involving the wider community in their environmental work including setting up a community garden to running an environmental community day. Their new IKEA eco-hub means they’ll not only be able to take the teaching of sustainability even further, but they can also create a wonderful working and engagement space for their local community and local schools.

In March we launched our second annual Easter Egg Appeal which saw students and staff across the sites purchasing chocolate Easter eggs, big and small, and handing them in to our onsite donation points. The appeal gained lots of attention from students as they continued to demonstrate a great attitude towards almsgiving and outdid themselves with donations!

Come Community Day, more than 300 eggs were rounded up and hand delivered to the Demelza Hospice in Eltham. We were greeted by the amazing nursing staff who gladly helped to unload the special delivery and reminded us of the immeasurable impact that such gifts would have on the children they care for. We would like to thank all who contributed to this virtuous cause and also to think of the families affected by children suffering serious illness and would like to thank organizations like the Demelza Hospice for all the work that they do. 

The last day of the Spring term saw countless activities taking place across the three sites and all in celebration of Easter Community Day! 

ECO: We were pleased to see students incorporating the sixth form’s Eco-friendly ideals into the Easter Community Day by involving themselves in various eco projects that day. One activity involved up-cycling used jam jars and other recyclable masonry to create tea-light lanterns. These were then hand painted, ready to be taken home and used as an eco-friendly alternative to an electric lamp. 

In another mini-Eco Project, students took to the outdoors to hang bird boxes around the sixth form in the hopes of encouraging more bird wildlife on site. The students showed much enthusiasm as they painted and decorated the boxes before picking the perfect locations to hang the new bird homes. 

Cultural: The Easter Community Day continued to be a success with plenty of cultural activities taking place across the sites. This included the likes

of henna hand painting and even live performances in the main hall with renditions of beautifully recited gospel songs. But it didn’t end there. The talent- showcasing continued in the LRC as tactical-minded students took on both peers and staff in a nail-biting chess tournament

Fundraising: The day saw multiple fundraising activities taking place and we couldn’t be more proud of our students for the initiative and generosity shown towards charity work. We were delighted to see students from the ALS department run a sweet stall that raised money for Demelza Hospice, a charity that we have worked with many times in the past supporting the work they do with the families of terminally ill children. 

Another group of students raised money by putting on sporting tournaments whereby entrants would pay a small fee to gain access to the Sports Hall and go head-to-head with an opponent in games such as table tennis and badminton.  

The list of activities was endless and both staff and students alike had great fun, raising over £500 for charity and fully immersing themselves in the spirit of the Easter Community Day! We would like to thank all staff and students for their commitment to making the day special and for all the hard work they have put in over the past term! 

We welcomed the celebration of LGBT+ History Month here at Christ the King this February with a variety of activities and displays which sought to illuminate some of the amazing actions members of the LGBT+ community have performed throughout history. 

In the LRC (Learning Resource Centre) we have had wonderful displays installed detailing both prominent historical figures from the LGBT+ community as well as more recent individuals who have achieved something remarkable. Many people have found these displays incredibly interesting and thought provoking. An example of someone on the board was Nicola Adams, who was the first openly LGBT+ woman ever to win an Olympic gold medal in the boxing competition. 

The LGBT+ Society, a student-led group acting as a safe and secure environment to talk about issues relating to the LGBT+ community, has also been discussing LGBT+ history, as well as the positive changes to civil rights in recent history and the landmark events that led to where we are now, including the 1969 ‘Stonewall Riots’ and origins of the Pride in England to name a few. 

Our 10:10 reflection at the start of the month was also dedicated to LGBT+ history month, which emphasised the importance of respecting human identity, dignity and worth, and that whoever we are, our self-understanding can be affected by our past, present and future. 

CTK is an establishment that reveres acceptance and respect, and we are delighted to be able to be able to shine a light on the importance of the LGBT+ community and the positive impact they have made in making our world a better place. 

At Christ the King we are big proponents of social action in our communities and are regularly running events and activities for the benefit of charities in and around our local communities. Below are a few of the recent social action events that have been taking place across the CTK (Christ the King) sites. 

Recently learners and staff were encouraged to wear expressive clothing in aid of “Dress to Express Day”, a day that aims to raise both money and awareness for the charity Young Minds, a charity that seeks to ensure all young people and their families receive mental health support, if they need it. This day raised over £350 for the charity and cannot wait to see this money put to good use. 

In a similar vein, students also took part in “Onesie Day”, which saw learners attend their sixth form in all manner of humorous onesies. This event was run by the learners themselves and was in aid of Mindout, a charity focusing on improving the mental health of people in the LGBT+ community. 

Learners also ran a heart-shaped lollypop stand in the canteen, with the profits going towards the charity Tender, a charity whose mission is to help young people who are the victims of domestic abuse. This was another charity selected by the learners. The total sales managed to raise a fantastic amount of £70 for the charity. 

The grand total from these events was over £400, and we are so immensely proud of our learners for running events like these, whilst simultaneously committing to their studies. It demonstrates how deeply they care about social action and how much making a difference means to them. 

We eagerly await the opportunity to inform you of more acts of charity and social action occurring around the sixth forms in the future. 

Christ the King is proud to announce the launch of our Easter Appeal, a fundraiser seeking to raise both gifts and money towards two amazing charities, CAFOD and Demelza.  

CAFOD (Catholic Aid for Overseas Development) is a Catholic organisation that aims to assist anyone in the world who requires aid. Demelza is a charity that assists families with young members suffering from terminal and very serious illnesses. 

The appeal is set to run throughout lent and encompasses a variety of social action initiated by our learners, including a chocolate Easter egg appeal, a GoFundMe donation page and a milkshake stand amongst many more. We are honoured to be organising such an event and are excited to be able to update you once we have news on the status of the appeal. 

If you would like to donate items or funds to the appeal, you can do so in a variety of ways: 

• If you would like to donate monetary funds, please follow the link which will take you to our GoFundMe page, where we are raising money for the two charities. 
• If you would like to donate chocolate eggs to the appeal, please bring them to either the chaplaincy, or the reception where they will be collected by the team. 

We would like to take this moment to thank our fantastic chaplaincy team for organising the appeal and continuing to facilitate and run events throughout its course. 

Following the launch of CTK’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy we were delighted to welcome Dr Maxine Room CBE to CTK who delivered an outstanding briefing on Protected Characteristics. 

CTK Sixth Forms continues to celebrate its diverse community in many ways including through a number of staff and student led societies and clubs.  Our student lead societies meet regularly and our staff and students ensure that Equality and Diversity is embedded and promoted within our curriculum and 10:10 programme. At each site our LGBTQ+ groups meet regularly and are currently planning for the celebration of LGBTQ+ history month.

The sixth form’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee and working groups have organised sessions for  staff and students on unconscious bias, decolonising the curriculum and on the achievement of ancient Africans.

Miss Amony, Assistant Principal, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion said, “We have an outstanding community at CTK, our staff and students come from such diverse backgrounds, it is important that we celebrate our community.  We continue to raise awareness of all protected characteristics with our staff and students and I am so proud of our communities engagement and commitment to promoting equality and diversity.”

As you may know, we have now entered into the month of Advent which transpires on the last Sunday of November, right up until Christmas Eve. It is the preparation period that leads up to Christmas, also known as the ‘coming’ which is where the Latin word of ‘Advent’ is derived from.

At CTK we have been preparing for Christmas with prayers and liturgies, we have also started lighting our purple Advent candles. You will notice that the candles have different colours and therefore different meanings.

The first candle symbolizes hope. It is sometimes called the “Prophecy Candle” in remembrance of the prophets.

The second candle represents faith. It is called the “Bethlehem Candle” as a reminder of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem.

The third candle is pink and symbolizes joy. It is called the “Shepard’s Candle,” and is pink because rose is a liturgical colour for joy. The third Sunday of Advent is Gaudete Sunday and is intended to remind us of the joy that the world experienced at the birth of Jesus.

On the fourth week of Advent, we light the final purple candle to mark the final week of prayer and penance. This final candle is known as the “Angel’s Candle,” and symbolizes peace.

Finally, the white candle is placed in the middle of the wreath and lit on Christmas Eve. This candle is called the “Christ Candle” and represents the life of Christ. The colour white is for purity.

To learn more about Advent and how it is celebrated by the church, you can watch our Advent liturgy on YouTube led by CTK deacon Javier Elderfield.

We would like to wish you all a calm and reflective last few weeks of Advent and a very happy holiday season!

We have raised more than £3,500 for four charities as part of our Christmas Gift Appeal!

CTK, partnering with the Kent-based EKC Group, brought in over £3,500 with a GoFundMe campaign and charity art auction.

The money will be split between Porchlight, Demelza Hospice Care for Children, Refuge, and St Vincent de Paul Society.

The art auction – which ended on Friday – consisted of pieces donated by staff members and students, raising £621 by itself. Highlights included Heritage, a St Mary’s learner, who’s George Floyd diptych brought in £38 and a signed limited edition photographic print from award-winning Photographer and Lecturer at EKC Group’s Folkestone College, Zak Waters, which raised £100.

Meanwhile the GoFundMe, brought in £2,910 altogether. The top donations saw £1,000 given by Metric Capital OurTurn Global, £500 from David Kelly and £500 by DSP Drainage.

On top of these two efforts, CTK and EKC Group have organised a donation drive for gifts in aid of those less well-off this Christmas. In total, students and staff members have handed in approximately 2,000 gifts which have since been distributed to the charities.

This charity drive has been running alongside a number of charitable deeds at both College groups. At our sites we ran a “Jumpers for Jimmy” event, which raised money for the Jimmy Mizen Foundation, a charity to support young people across the UK by challenging them to be the change-makers & peace-makers in their local communities. Also, at Emmanuel, some of our learners organised a cupcake sale for Child Bereavement UK which is a charity that supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement. Over at EKC the Animal Management students at Canterbury College created festive packages for their four-legged friends at Dogs Rescue and AA Dog Rescue.

We would like to thank everybody who donated to the Christmas Gift Appeal and hope that our contributions to these charities helped in some way to make the festive period better for those in our communities who are less fortunate.