Pupils at a Rowley Regis High School haven’t let the lockdown stop them from coming together to support others. Instead, they decided to hold their very first virtual fundraising event and managed to raise over £750 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity’s urgent COVID-19 Appeal – all whilst wearing their pyjamas!

The students at St Michael’s Church of England High School have been studying from home since the school was closed in March, but still managed to pull together their ‘Pounds for PJs’ day virtual event organised by their ‘Student Voice’ project group.

The pupils in the school’s Student Voice collective had planned various fundraising activities for the year, including an Easter raffle and supermarket bag pack for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, but when they were told their school would be closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak they realised that just like so many other fundraising events, they wouldn’t be able to go ahead as planned.

Not wanting the charity to lose out on any donations, the school’s creative students quickly began planning an event that everyone could easily take part in from home. Before long, Pounds for PJs was born and the pupils asked their classmates, teachers and families to take part in a “non-uniform” day and donate whatever they could afford. Best of all – they could wear their pyjamas for the day!

The determined youngsters even reached out to a few celebrities on social media, gaining support from DIY SOS’s Nick Knowles, as well as a picture of Leicester City Football Club’s Demarai Gray and fellow footballer Marlon Walters in their pyjamas.

Thirteen-year-old student Jessica Postings, said: “I loved helping to plan and organise Pounds for PJ's! It’s great to have a way of giving something back to the NHS for all of their hard work, courage and determination over the past few weeks.”

Kerry Whitehouse, School Engagement Development Manager at St Michael’s, said: “At our school we really feel we have a special relationship with Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity so when it launched its emergency Covid-19 Appeal, we knew we wanted to help and started discussing ideas.

“Our Student Voice group managed to turn the event around in just one week so we’re incredibly proud of each and every one of them and so thrilled so many people took part!”

Miranda Williams, Public Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “What a fantastic idea! With so many events being cancelled due to the lockdown and social distancing rules, our supporters are having to get really creative. We are counting on virtual events, just like this, to raise vital funds to help us continue to do more for our sick kids.

“The pupils at St Michael’s High School has set the bar high and the money they raised in their PJs will go towards our urgent COVID-19 Appeal to help us continue supporting our patients and the fantastic work of our NHS heroes.”