TWO Somerset schools have raised more than £1,500 for a charity which helps disadvantaged children around the world.

Lympsham Academy and East Brent Academy raised £720 and £800 respectively for School in a Bag by doing sports challenges and a sponsored walk.

The money will be used to help the Somerset based charity distribute rucksacks filled with stationery and eating utensils to disadvantaged children around the world.

Fiona Robertson, headteacher of Lympsham Academy, said: “Lympsham Academy did different sports challenges throughout the week to raise the money and East Brent Academy did a sponsored walk with parents and children up to the top of Brent Knoll.

“Once we knew how much we’d raised overall, we let the charity know as they divide that amount by £20, which is how much each SchoolBag is, and then excitingly the children got to pack the SchoolBags before they’re sent to the children who will be receiving them.

“They were all very enthusiastic about this.”

School in a Bag was set up in 2009 as an initiative of the Piers Simon Appeal, a charity set-up by Founder & CEO, Luke Simon, in memory of his older brother Piers, who lost his life in the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004.

To date, over 111,000 SchoolBags have been distributed to children in 44 countries around the world, giving them the necessary tools to be able to attend school and therefore have a lifeline out of poverty and hardship.

Lis Foy, School in a Bag’s School liaison officer, said: “Schools are a huge part of our fundraising efforts every year and what’s so special about it, is that children are helping other children of a similar age, who are elsewhere in the world and less fortunate than them.

“What’s more is the children from Lympsham Academy and East Brent Academy will then get to find out where in the world their SchoolBags have gone, often seeing a photo of the very child who receives it.

“School in a Bag is only a small charity, but the fact that our fundraisers get to see exactly where their money has gone, means schools often raise more money than they expects.

“Even the youngest children understand the concept of what it’s about and are therefore able to tell family and friends about it. I’d like to say a big thank you to the schools for their hard work.”