Sussex Downs College students raise more than £1,000 for children suffering from cancer

Sussex Downs College students raised an impressive £1,100 for the local charity Children with Cancer Fund.
Lyanne Trenaman presents the cheque to Chris Downton, with SDC Catering & Hospitality students. SUS-180214-125916001Lyanne Trenaman presents the cheque to Chris Downton, with SDC Catering & Hospitality students. SUS-180214-125916001
Lyanne Trenaman presents the cheque to Chris Downton, with SDC Catering & Hospitality students. SUS-180214-125916001

In the week leading up to Christmas, the Kings Restaurant & Bistro – based at the Eastbourne campus – served more than 750 customers. At each sitting, they raffled off a food hamper, handmade by the catering and hospitality students, raising over £1,100 for the local charity.

Lyanne Trenaman, who teaches catering and hospitality at the college, said, “We are delighted to give something back to the community.

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“Hearing some of the stories from Chris Downton about the families the charity supports has been a humbling experience. It has taught our students about the wider world.”

Chris, who runs the charity, said, “Children With Cancer Fund is a community. We are a small, personal charity, helping 121 families in Brighton & Hove and across East Sussex. We work hard to fulfil kids’ wishes, which can be as little as £10.

“We gave one child a Star Wars toy recently; from their reaction you would have thought we’d given them £1 million.”

The charity is also supporting a family who have a three-month-old baby with cancer. They recently supplied them with nappies and wipes.

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“Hearing a child’s laughter is so rewarding,” says Chris. He went on to thank staff and students: “We can do so much to support the families with the amount raised, so thank you.”

This year, Children with Cancer Fund is celebrating its 20th anniversary and is holding a ball for 400 people at the East Sussex National later in the year.

In 2015, the charity received the Queens Award.

The Catering & Hospitality department made the decision to represent one charity for the whole year.

Their next fundraising event is an afternoon tea on March 22, which has already sold out. For details of upcoming events please contact Kings Restaurant & Bistro on 030 300 38315.