Forres Academy S2s Youth Philanthropy Initiative secured £3000 for Erskine Veterans Activity Centre North

Four pupils from a Moray secondary won £3000 for a local veterans hub via the Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI).

Forres Academy S2 students Caitlin Livsey, Kaylan Smith, Joshua Nicol and Alfie Stalker argued the best case for the funding during an assembly hall presentation, beating six other finalists and 23 other groups in total.

Head teacher Mrs Jan Sinclair confirmed the students were recognized for their “creative and passionate” presentation of Erskine's mission and its impact on veterans.

She said: “It is always amazing to see how well our pupils present - given their age - when standing up to present in this hall filled full of their peers.

“Each year, it is a very hard decision for the panel of judges but we were delighted that this year the winning group was for a local charity that means so much to our school and community.”

The Erskine Veterans Activity Centre North (EVACN) in Forres offers resources, peer support, and a tailored wellbeing programme. The centre provides a welcoming environment where veterans of all ages can connect, learn new skills and find renewed purpose in their lives after service.

The £3000 donation will directly benefit the centre and its attendees.

Caitlin said: “We chose Erskine as the charity doesn't have much funding.”

Kaylan added: “Veterans deserve a place to go and a space to do things.”

Joshua explained that they showed videos and statistics before explaining what the charity could do with the funding if they won. The group also highlighted what the charity already provides.

“We were surprised to win,” admitted Alfie. “We didn't think we’d make it past the first round but we put a lot of work into the presentation so when we heard we’d won, we were all very happy!”

The YPI initiative highlights the impact of student-led fundraising efforts and their ability to raise awareness and support for local charity.

The team’s winning presentation and sharing of Erskine's story most impressed the judges vice chairwoman of the parent council Nicola McClean, DYW school coordinator Caroline Russel, S2 year head Mrs Cath Reilly and S6 prefect Jess Powell.

All Forres Academy S2s took part in YPI then chose a winning group from their classes for the final. The other finalists represented charities Quarriers, Cruise Scotland, Women's Aid, Keirans Legacy and Abbie’s Sparkle Foundation.

“The standard was excellent,” said Nicola. “It was a really difficult job to decide on a winner using the criteria.

“The winning group researched their charity incredibly well and paid them a visit. They included a dramatic performance and their presentation skills were excellent.”

Caroline explained: “Their confidence showed that they’d clearly worked as a team on the project. They each took turns and their voices were really clear. They just hit everything we were looking for.”

Mrs Reilly thought all seven finalists were excellent, but the winning group “pipped everyone to the post.”

She said: “The whole year supporting charities was really lovely. The care and compassion the pupils show really makes a difference.”

Jess added: “The teams really thought about how this money was going to be spent. The winners had a clear, structured idea and a carefully thought-out plan.”

Erskine congratulated the winning team: “Their creativity and passion in telling Erskine's story and what the charity means to them stood out against such strong competition from fellow pupils.

“The pupils' incredible commitment helped secure a fantastic donation in their hometown!”

For more information visit https://www.erskine.org.uk/get-support/veterans-activity-centre-north