Schools from all over the 1,744 square miles of the Lichfield Diocese are being asked to take on the challenge of ‘Adopting a Gargoyle’ this autumn term, as part of a new fundraising and education initiative. Launched officially today, this Diocesan project is a new scheme that allows not only schools to get involved with fundraising for Lichfield Cathedral’s East End Appeal, but will hopefully engage pupils of all ages in creative writing, history and art projects.
 
Every year, thousands of children and young people visit Lichfield Cathedral for educational visits and also the ‘Open Door’ event for primary and secondary schools. This month, Lichfield Cathedral, in partnership with the Lichfield Diocese Board of Education, is excited to announce the launch of a new schools project - the ‘Adopt a Gargoyle’ campaign.
 
The initiative, headed up by the Director of Fundraising, Patricia Collins and Sue Blackmore, the Lichfield Diocese Schools’ Adviser, has been tailored to meet the needs of the curriculum and is open to all schools within the 427 parishes of the Lichfield Diocese.
 
Patricia Collins, Director of Fundraising commented:
“We wanted to create a fresh and unique challenge for students throughout the Diocese and at the same time help young people engage with the history, spirituality and heritage of Lichfield Cathedral, as they help protect it for future generations. Schools are being asked to support the appeal by raising £1 per child and fundraising ideas such as non-uniform days and paper mosaics will be provided in the Education Pack. 
 
The project will enable students to let their imaginations run, as they contemplate how gargoyles and grotesques spend their time at Lichfield Cathedral. They can give a recently carved gargoyle a new name, write a story, draw a cartoon strip or pen a dramatic poem about a gargoyle adventure. Whatever involvement a school has with this project, we hope that they will enjoy learning more about Lichfield Cathedral and its role as the symbolic centre and mother church of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield.
 
Marking the appeal on-line is an innovation that should add to the fun of taking part.  This Adopt a Gargoyle project is a companion to the mosaic appeal to all Parishes to light up a window of the Lady Chapel (www.lichfieldcathedral.mosaicappeal.com). Having raised nearly £3 million for essential repairs and conservation to the East End of the Cathedral, we are now asking for support from the community through parishes and schools to make a contribution towards the £700,000 still to raise.  Each £1 will be valued and will help achieve our target.  Visitors are welcome to come to the Cathedral, view the work completed so far and spot the gargoyles and grotesques on the outside walls”.
 
The East End Appeal
In the last few years the East End of Lichfield Cathedral has undergone a major programme of essential repairs to its stonework and conservation of its unique 16th century painted glass. The project is now in its final phases and to help raise the balance of the money for the restoration work, Lichfield Cathedral, in partnership with the Lichfield Diocese Board of Education, is asking for support from schools for the East End Appeal via the Adopt a Gargoyle project.
 
The Gargoyle campaign:
 
is designed to be educational and fun and to stimulate imagination and donations
is an on-line mosaic where donations light-up a section of the Gargoyle montage at http://lichfieldgargoyles.mosaicappeal.com
encourages students to support the habitat of the Lichfield Cathedral gargoyles and receive an ‘Adoption Certificate’
enables students to learn more about the history, creation and function of gargoyles
gives students the opportunity to be creative and enter a story competition*
gives students the opportunity and name some of the new carvings.
 
How can schools get involved?
 
Every Head Teacher will receive an information pack this month, which includes suggestions for curricular and fund-raising activities from the Lichfield Diocese Board of Education. Pupils and teachers can make enquiries at their school about getting involved or contact Judith Ayton on 01543 306106 for an extra Education Pack.
 
Competitions
 
There will be two competitions* as part of the project:
‘What is my name?’, where pupils can name the newly carved gargoyles
‘My Story’, where pupils can draw or write about a Cathedral gargoyle.
 
Once the deadline for competition entries has passed on 15th January 2012, a panel of judges (including the Very Revd Adrian Dorber, the Dean of Lichfield and Colin Hopkins, the Director of Lichfield Diocese Board of Education) will judge and prizes will include a certificate, tea at Chapters Restaurant and a ceremony at the Cathedral to celebrate the pupil’s achievements.
 
For more information about ‘Adopt a Gargoyle’ please contact:
 
Judith Ayton, Fundraising Officer at Lichfield Cathedral
01543 306106 / judith.ayton@lichfield-cathedral.org
 
Sue Blackmore, Lichfield Diocesan School’s Adviser
01827 707638 / sue.blackmore@lichfield.anglican.org
 
* Please refer to the Cathedral website for full terms and conditions for both competitions.