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It may still only be October but six-year-old Armthorpe girl Erin Kelly is already counting the days to Christmas because she only has until the end of term to raise vital funds for an Indian orphanage.

Erin (who hails from Armthorpe) is a pupil at Queen Ethelburga’s School near York where children aged from just 3 months to 20 years are all fundraising for the school’s chosen charity Affecting Real Change, which supports more than 100 orphans in rural southern India.

‘We have about 150 children in Chapter House and we decided to twin the school with the Vellatur Orphanage so each pupil can personally write to a child in India,’ said Principal Steven Jandrell. ‘Our pupils each have to raise £8 over the next eight weeks so that we can convert it into Rupees and send it in Christmas cards. It may not sound like much but to our Indian children it will be so valuable.’

The youngsters have already been organising activities to raise the money. There’s been a conker tournament, sponsored relay race and a well-supported tuck shop selling bags of sweets and snacks.

‘I’ve already bought two 50p bags of sweets,’ said Year 2 pupil Erin. ‘I think it is a really good idea to try and raise the money ourselves to help other children who don’t have anything.’

The completed cards will be hand delivered to the orphanage just before Christmas and the children there will then be taken out to buy vital things like toothbrushes, pens and hair bobbles - the only Christmas gifts they are likely to receive.

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