Halifax school fire: How the whole of Halifax, Calderdale and beyond rallied round Ash Green Primary School after blaze
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The shocked community of North Halifax were among the first to respond, with Holy Trinity Church in Mixenden opening its doors the day after the fire offering a place for people to gather and reach out for support.
Local sandwich shops dropped off food, and the following days saw the church hosting more community gatherings and activities for youngsters.
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Hide AdSpeaking at the time, Rev Robb Sutherland - Vicar of Holy Trinity Church and Vice-Chair of the school’s governors - said: “One of the great things about the people of Mixenden and about living here is that everyone looks after each other and the offers of support for the school have been phenomenal.”
Fellow governor Danielle Durrans said: “It’s not just a school. When it’s a community like Mixenden, it’s a link to everything.
“This is just sheer devastation for everybody. There won’t be anyone who knows Mixenden that hasn’t felt the devastation. It’s painful for everybody.
She said the whole community was pulling together, resolved to get children back to the school as soon as possible.
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Hide Ad“The school is amazing and we’re very lucky that we have a strong push to do whatever is needed,” she said.
Other schools got in touch with Ash Green to offer resources and to house the children left without classrooms.
And many schools across the borough held bake sales and ‘wear green’ days to raise funds for the fire-hit setting.
Ash Green was also inundated with offers of activities for the pupils affected, including art workshops at Dean Clough in Halifax and sessions run by Eureka! Children’s Museum and Halifax Panthers.
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Hide AdThere was a massive fundraising campaign launched, with collection tins popping up across Calderdale.
One Ash Green pupil, Regan Kemp, even did his own fundraising, collecting more than £1,000 by holding two raffles.
Firefighters at Illingworth Fire Station organised a sponsored car wash which saw firefighters joined by teachers, parents, children and even Halifax' s MP Holly Lynch washing cars in return for donations.
And an online collection organised by Community Foundation for Calderdale was flooded with donations, raising thousands for the school.