College raises over £2,000 for Barnsley Hospice

Students and staff at the College have raised an impressive £2,155.15 for Barnsley Hospice as part of the charity’s annual Accumulator Challenge.

The challenge, which ran throughout March, gave departments across the College the task of turning a £30 starter fund into as much money as possible for the local hospice. The creative and heartfelt fundraising efforts reflected the dedication and community spirit of everyone involved.

Several departments took part, each bringing their own unique ideas to the challenge. The Childcare and Health department ran a series of engaging fundraising activities, while the Construction department launched ‘Sweet Builders’, selling sweet treats to fellow students. The Students’ Union led a high-energy ‘Pedal for Patients’ event, setting up bikes outside the Union and encouraging students to take turns riding throughout the day - clocking up over 300 miles in total.

The standout team this year was the Business department, who raised an incredible £1,850 on their own. Their efforts were led by Tutorial Team Leader, Rebecca Sellar, who alongside some of the students, took the bold step of shaving off all her hair in support of the cause.

Rebecca said: “As a department, we’ve been involved in the Hospice Accumulator Challenge for a few years now. Last year we raised a record £736 with every student group contributing through tutorial lessons. This has turned into an internal competition to beat our previous total, and both staff and learners are really enjoying the challenge. I even volunteered to shave my head to help push us over the line—an offer I’m now questioning, but I’m proud to have followed through on it. It’s all for an amazing cause, and the work Barnsley Hospice does in our community is invaluable.”

Level 3 Accounting T Level student, Matthew Senior added: "I was really happy to be raising money for Barnsley Hospice as they are a charity that are quite close to my heart. When my grandma was at the end of her life they took really good care of her and made her final months as nice as possible. To have raised that amount of money for the Hospice, I feel really proud of myself and the College in general."

Sasha Foyster, Learner Voice Advisor at the College, added: “Once again we’ve proudly teamed up with Barnsley Hospice to take part in the Accumulator Challenge. Every year, the passion and commitment of our staff and students truly amazes me. From creative fundraising stalls to shaving their heads, they’ve gone above and beyond to raise money and awareness for such an important local charity. Raising over £2,000 is a fantastic achievement, and we couldn’t be prouder.”

Simon Atkinson, Barnsley Hospice Corporate Partnership Manager said: "A huge thank you to all the incredible students and staff at Barnsley College for your outstanding efforts in this year’s Barnsley Hospice Accumulator Challenge. Your commitment and creativity made 2025 a record-breaking year - and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Most importantly, the funds you've raised will have a real and lasting impact on the people we support. As a charity, we truly couldn’t do what we do without the generosity of our local community. Your support helps ensure we can continue to be there for the people of Barnsley when they need us most."