Duchy College has chosen Blood Cancer UK as its charity of the year after two pupils lost their mother to the disease.
The Harrogate school, formerly Harrogate Ladies’ College, will support the charity throughout the 2026/27 academic year.
The cause holds a personal connection for pupils Alice and Isabel Badger, whose mother Philippa died from acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in 2022.
Their family have since raised more than £500,000 for blood cancer research, supporting work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Isabel said:
“I am really proud that the school has chosen Blood Cancer UK.
“It is a charity that’s very close to our family’s hearts, so I am excited to see what we can achieve together and how we will be able to support them throughout the year.”
A series of school-wide fundraising events will begin today (Friday) and continue throughout the academic year.
Duchy College has previously supported charities including Resurrected Bites, Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity and the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.
Principal Joanna Fox said:
“Charity is at the cornerstone of our community.
“We are exceptionally proud to support Blood Cancer UK and have seen firsthand the impact the disease can have.
“The Badger family are key members of our school community and have worked tirelessly to raise funds for this important cause.”
Funds raised will support the charity’s research and work to improve the lives of people affected by blood cancer.
Matthew White, Director at Blood Cancer UK, said:
“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone at Duchy College for choosing Blood Cancer UK as their Charity of the Year. This has a particularly special meaning because of the Badger family, who have already done so much to support blood cancer research in memory of Philippa.
“It’s wonderful to see Alice and Isabel’s school community getting behind a cause that means so much to them and their family.
“Acute myeloid leukaemia, the type of blood cancer Philippa was diagnosed with, is one of the deadliest forms of blood cancer, that’s why research into better, kinder treatments is so urgently needed.
“Every pound raised by pupils, staff and families at Duchy College will help us continue our work to improve the lives of people affected by blood cancer and ultimately bring forward the day when we beat blood cancer.
“We’re really looking forward to working with the whole school community over the year ahead and seeing what we can achieve together.”
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