Students are helping wishes to come true

The students, who attend the Motherwell campus, selected When You Wish Upon a Star as their charity of the year, pledging to donate all money made from programme sales at all class productions throughout the academic year to the charity.

The students have also been putting their skills into practice and doing special performances for the charity – including performing for children and their families on their return home from the trip of a lifetime to Lapland.

The class travelled to Prestwick Airport to perform for the children returning home from Lapland, including a special appearance from Elsa and Anna from Frozen, played by students Rachel Campbell and Claudia Todd.

The Lapland visit is one of When You Wish Upon a Star’s yearly highlights – chartering special flights to Lapland and giving children with life threatening illnesses the chance to meet the real Father Christmas.

The trip gives sick kids and their families the full Lapland experience, including trips to the magical forest, husky rides and reindeer trails. Rudolph then brings Santa on his sleigh to meet all the children.

Claudia said: “It was an amazing and rewarding experience. I absolutely treasured every moment of it and seeing the children’s’ faces light up simply made my heart melt.”

Fellow student Kirsten Brown added: “It was such an inspiring day and I have so much love and respect for all that When You Wish Upon a Star do.

“It was the best experience of my life and I am very grateful for having the opportunity.”

The students also supported the charity’s Santa Fun Run in Edinburgh, performing at the starting line and throughout the course to motivate and encourage the participants.

The charity’s Scotland fundraising manager Margaret Rowarth said: “The students were all incredible and should be very proud.

“So many parents and team members said that as soon as they heard the choir it was overwhelming and it was the perfect end to a perfect day.

“On behalf of all parents and children present we would like to say a big thank-you for creating a beautiful memory for them to treasure.”

The students will be presenting the charity with a cheque at the end of the academic year.