The sense of community, identity and belonging has been central to Cheam’s historical success and we continue to integrate and interact with our local Parish Councils, primary schools, churches and neighbours.
Cheam continues to create new relationships with local charities that are involved with the welfare of children and young people; the growth of our bursarial fund to enable local children to join Cheam will be transformational for those families.
Saturday school is an integral part of our Cheam culture. We welcome parents to Chapel and to join the staff in discussion as well as to enjoy watching sports fixtures. This important element of our offering extends our community far beyond the classroom and ensures an inclusive, warm and meaningful welcome to our families.
Charity Work | Omnia Caritate
Close to home, the Hampshire Medical Fund is a cause close to our hearts, which is supported through the involvement of the Chapel Choir in the Winchester Cathedral Carol Services and many parents and alumni sitting both on the board of the charity and taking part in many fundraising events. Pupils are involved in many other local charities, raising funds within the community in a variety of ways, including reading to the blind, singing at the Royal Berkshire Show and visiting local retirement homes. Our Jazz Band performs around the country, particularly in local summer fairs, which are always very successful.
In recent years, Cheam pupils and staff have raised money for Macmillan, the British Red Cross, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Newbury Soup Kitchen, Jeans for Genes, Dementia UK, Parkinson’s UK, Naomi House, Fairclose Centre Newbury and also our current charity of the year, Time to Talk. Time to Talk West Berkshire is an independent charity originally established in 1986. Their aim as a charity is to promote the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people aged 11-25 in West Berkshire. This is instigated for free, at the point of delivery, counselling services at Broadway House and in local schools and GP surgeries. Recently, in conjunction with Highclere Castle, Cheam hosted a Gin Tasting evening on behalf of Time to Talk with Lord Carnarvon.
Internationally, our pupils raise money for the Red Cross Hospital in Cape Town, a location our sports teams have visited, on sports tours; pre-Covid, our teams raised over £12,000 towards this wonderful cause. Cheam has also historically formed close links with schools in Zambia, shipping out books, computers and other educational equipment, along with forging links through pen pals.
The Cheam Foundation
Finally, our Cheam Foundation is very much part of our fund raising and runs in tandem with all our other charity work. The Cheam Foundation is dedicated to widening access to Cheam and enabling able children from different backgrounds to benefit from a Cheam education. The Foundation provides fully-funded bursaries for a number of children from low-income, disadvantaged families. The transformative effects of education are well recognised and we believe that independent schools have a vital role to play in extending world-class educational opportunities to more children.
The children who come to Cheam on our Foundation bursaries continue their education journey with fully-funded bursaries at independent senior schools. We hold many events to support the Foundation including our Cheam Fiesta party, theatre gala evenings, musical evenings (jazz and choral) and shopping fairs!
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