Movie marathon for school pupils

FILM-loving pupils in Dinnington went Pixar crazy for a 25-hour viewing marathon.

Staff, pupils and parents at Dinnington Comprehensive watched every Pixar film back-to-back to help raise money for charity and for Dinnington Comprehensive’s sports tour to Canada.

More than 300 students donned fancy dress outfits and enjoyed buns and pizzas during the ‘Pixarathon’ event, which ran from 5pm on Friday to 4pm the following day.

PE teacher Dana Abdulkarim said: “The whole event went perfectly with the students staying in good spirits and very many of them battling gravity to keep their eyelids open.”

“Early indications suggest that the event has made over £500 in the first week of collections. Hopefully we smash the target of £1,000 very soon.”

As well as the school’s sports tour to Canada, which leaves in eight weeks, half of the money raised will go to Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

Miss Abdulkarim said: “The Year 11 and Sixth Form students at the school were exemplary in their responsibilities, whether that be designing a quiz, selling buns or helping organise the hungry hundreds at meal times. The parents of the students going to Canada rallied the tired and motivated us all with scrambled eggs at lunch and never ending cups of coffee.”

She added: “As the organiser of this event I am very proud of what was achieved over those 23 hours, the students really showed that their community and charity matter.”

“Anyone who thinks that young people don’t care must come and see this event in action next year.”

Miss Abdulkarim thanked First Stop Pizza and Jazzi’s Halal Fast Food for donating free pizzas and chips, Tesco in Dinnington for the chocolates and food voucher, Cooplands for donating 100 gingerbreads, school caterers Chartwells for donating the breakfast meals and cutlery, the many people who baked - and Ms Hughes who designed a Monster Inc inspired cake for the fancy dress winner and baked more than 300 buns to sell and a chocolate fudge cake to keep the staff going.