Charity fundraising by Dotty
Mrs Saunders, an English teacher at Kilgraston for 26 years is retiring and we will also be saying a fond farewell to her dog, Dotty. But before they left, Dotty and Mrs Saunders organised a sale for Ukraine animals. Here is a round-up of the charity fundraising event:
Dotty came to prominence during Covid as Kilgraston’s therapy dog offering comfort, warmth and physical contact for girls still suffering the after-effects of lockdown and social isolation. In an era when there is growing recognition of the power of animals to heal, Dotty more than played her part. When the time came for her to take her leave of Kilgraston, she wanted to some more good. She organised a sale in Mrs Saunders’ classroom to raise funds for the war-stricken animals of Ukraine. Girls and staff swooped into action and together they raised a handsome £425 which will go to straight to UkraineAnimals.ENG, a charity working in the front line to rescue, treat, feed, comfort and rehome thousands of abandoned and wounded animals, including horses, dogs, cats, farm and zoo animals. She says a huge thank you and good bye to all her friends and supporters at Kilgraston.
Mrs Saunders
Kilgraston’s Mrs Saunders is retiring
It is with great sadness for us that Mrs Saunders has decided to retire after 26 years at Kilgraston. For all of us who have worked with her in either capacity as pupil or colleague, we all share this truly privileged position to have known her and witnessed the everyday acts that make her an astonishing educator and person.
She subverts all notions of the tired retiree needing to be put out to pasture. The perfect example of this was right at the end of last academic year when the teaching staff were exhausted from rounds of internal assessments yet Mrs Saunders was the epitome of creative power leading the entire school to transform glass square into an art installation that expressed our concerns about the climate emergency.
We will remember everything Mrs Saunders has said. All of it brilliant.
We will remember everything she did. All of it equally brilliant too.
But more than anything, we will remember how she made us feel.
Ms Hall, Kilgraston’s Head of English and friend of Mrs Saunders
A longer length version of this will appear in the next Cor Unum, our annual school magazine. which will be published later this year. Sign up to our mailing list here.