Last year saw the start of the Beaconsfield High School (BHS) hat design
competition. The BHS Technology
team and Jo Ashcroft, founder of 4myhead.com Limited, a South Bucks based
internet retailer of hats and scarves, asked Year 7 students to design and make
a hat for teenagers who are being treated for cancer. The competition and the hats produced are sold in aid of
Teenage Cancer Trust.
Jo Ashcroft, said: “We started
this competition last year and had fantastic support from BHS and Teenage
Cancer Trust. The quality, thought
and care that went into the hat designs was fantastic. I am pleased to report that there are
now 3 hat styles available from our website www.jashcroft.co.uk
that were designed by the students – the Philly cap (the winning design), the
Koko hat and the Lizzy hat.“
Highlights from last year’s competition included the focus assembly with
Teenage Cancer Trust, having journalist Lucy Siegle as a special guest to judge
the finals and speak to the Year 7 and A level students about her work and the
importance of ethical fashion; the BHS
fashion show where Jo’s hats and those designed and made by the students were
modelled; fundraising at the BHS Christmas Fairs and a BHS mufti day which
raised nearly £1,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust.
Through this competition,
students are enhancing their learning about Textiles Technology, enabling them to make informed choices for
designing their hats.
Mr Johns, Acting Headmaster of BHS noted: “This has been an exciting competition adding purpose to the existing
BHS Technology curriculum. The
students and staff have been supportive of this enhanced learning
experience. With Jo, we selected
Teenage Cancer Trust as the charity we would like to support for this project
and the charity has provided valuable insight to the students at BHS on
specialist needs facing teens who battle cancer.”
The Lizzy hat was one of the Jashcroft hats recently chosen by the
Teenage Cancer Trust unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for their
patients to try. Jo is visiting
the newest unit, at the Royal Marsden Hospital, Surrey on Wednesday with Teenage
Cancer Trust. Jo and Teenage
Cancer Trust will be sharing thoughts on the visit with the Year 7 students at
a special focus in 2012.
Teenage Cancer Trust is a charity devoted to improving the lives of
teenagers and young adults with cancer.
The charity funds and builds specialist units for young people in NHS
hospitals. Teenage Cancer Trust units aren’t like ordinary cancer wards.
Everything about them has been designed to give teenagers the very best chance
of a positive outcome. Teenage Cancer Trust aims to ensure that every young
person with cancer and their family receive the best possible care and
professional support throughout their cancer journey.
Since its foundation, Jo has supported and organised many events that
support cancer research and treatment, helping to raise over £5,000 for national
charities and institutes.
For more information about this competition, please contact jo@jashcroft.co.uk or visit the hats and
scarves website www.jashcroft.co.uk. Two videos following the first year of
the competition are on:
