Linda Cruse once benefited from a 100% bursary place at Redmaids’ High School in Bristol. Now, she’s giving back to the school that, she says, “gave her so much”.
An international humanitarian, Linda has travelled around the world visiting refugee camps, war-torn areas and major disaster zones to help those in need. Having built strong connections when she went back to her old school in 2015 for a talk, she wants to share these experiences with the current pupils. Therefore, during the summer she took a group of sixth formers on a 16-day trip to earthquake-hit Nepal.
The team of 12 girls witnessed serious challenges first-hand, and used their intelligence and creativity to help some of the poorest families in the world. Detailed research was required to identify those most in need before agreeing, as a team, where they could have most impact. Careful budgeting followed as the group decided how best to sustainably uplift families – by providing goats, tools, chickens, etc.
Having seen a family living in a hut under constant threat of a mudslide, the students set up a JustGiving page and raised almost £3,500 in less than a week.
Linda said: “It has been wonderful for me to return to and work with a school that gave me so much. I absolutely loved my time at Redmaids’ High and took full advantage of every opportunity going. These girls have given the families in Nepal a real ‘hand up’ and left a lasting legacy – at just 17 years of age.”
