Students enjoy drenching their teachers in the name of charity

Five male teachers from St Andrew’s High School, in Sackville Road, Worthing, had their legs waxed in a special assembly in front of the whole school and ten members of senior staff had a bucket of cold water poured over their heads, in aid of Cancer Research UK.

In total, £351.96 was raised through the Stand Up to Cancer via voluntary donations from students at 
St Andrew’s.

Victoria Purcell, the school’s deputy head teacher, came up with the idea for the fundraiser to tie in with Channel Four’s big Stand Up to Cancer comedy gig on the same day, which raised more than £14.5 million pounds for the charity.

She said: “It’s a subject that’s close to our hearts. We’ve got staff with close relatives who are quite poorly. We wanted the students to do something really positive.

“It was absolutely perfect. We thought let’s do something that will cause a little bit of humiliation to us but for a great charity.”

Mrs Purcell, who took part in the water bucket challenge, said that the most common reaction someone has when they are diagnosed with cancer is feeling like they have had cold water poured on them, which influenced the decision to hold that particular challenge.

Head of PE Tom Cheesmur had his legs waxed. The women teachers doing the waxing appeared to enjoy the job and the last batch of wax strips were auctioned to the boys for £1 a piece so that they could have a go.

Speaking after the event, with newly smooth legs, Mr Cheesmur said: “I got properly ripped to bits there. I did it for the cause and just to get the students involved in knowing all about cancer and really trying to raise some funds for cancer research.

“Never before have my leg hairs been removed from my legs. I was very worried before but when it was getting done it wasn’t too bad.”

A soaking wet Steve Mercer, the school’s head teacher, said: “I’m always immensely proud of the way the boys identify with the needs of others. I think it’s a wonderful thing for us to do together. We felt we should do something, no matter how small, to stand up to cancer.”

To see video from the day, visit www.worthingherald.co.uk