GENEROUS youngsters at Bancroft's Prepartory School in Woodford Green, have raised over £5,000 for needy children.

Pupils at the High Road school organised their very own charity day, where they hosted a number of fun activities, to raise cash for the Haven House Foundation.

The school hosts the special day once a year and chooses a charity to support.

Then with the help of teachers, pupils organise different events to be held on that day.

This year, the children set up a variety of stalls, games such as beat the goalie, enjoyed a spot of face painting and other entertainment around the school.

And their hard-working efforts paid off, when the total raised came to £5622.47.

Headteacher David Horn said: This is the best we've ever done. We're very pleased and proud of the children. Although staff and parents supported them, they carried out most of the organisation and work themselves.

It was a great pleasure for us to hand over the money to the charity. We chose the Haven House Foundation as it supports children and it's nice for our pupils to help other children less fortunate then themselves.

Mr Horn said pupils are told about the charity they are raising money for and a representative visits the school to explain about the charity's work.

He added: It was a really successful day and the children are as pleased as anyone at how well they have done.

The money has been put towards cash already raised by the school, along with St Antony's School, Woodford Green and Saint Peter and Saint Paul's School in Ilford.

Together with the St Thomas' and St Antony's Millennium Project, the three schools have now raised over £10,000.

Chair of the project Angela Meyler said: It was with enternal gratitude that we accepted this cheque. They have raised a lot of money for young people's futures at Haven House.

What is so wonderful, is that it's young people working for other young people.

By.Laura Burkin