Posted on: 23/04/2025
Posted on: April 7th 2025
Highworth Traitors Charity Event
The school has recently participated in our version of the hit BBC TV show “The Traitors”. The competition ran over four weeks and all proceeds raised will be donated to the Ashford and Tenterden branch of Samaritans. The school community watched weekly videos during the first half of the week and then donated to attended live events.
Twenty-four members of staff signed up to participate and twenty were selected to participate. Most of the staff played as Faithful but some were selected to take on the role of a Traitor. The Traitors met in secret on Google Meets every Thursday evening and then ‘murdered’ Faithfuls on Friday mornings. All the players completed challenges during the live events to add to the Prize Pot. In our version of the game, the Prize Pot consists of a range of snacks and treats. Each player represented a section of the school community during the game – either a Year Group, a Community or the staff – who would receive a share of the Prize Pot if they won.
The players also participated in Roundtable discussions during the live events and then voted to banish a player. The aim of the game (for the Faithful) is to banish all of the Traitors before the end of the game to prevent them from stealing the Prize Pot. The school community participated in weekly votes to protect players from murder with a shield and to banish players who they believed to be Traitors. The winner of the competition was Mr White who was playing for the NS community. He managed to get to the final two and it was revealed that he would steal the Prize Pot as he was a Traitor.
The competition was organised and hosted by the school’s very own ‘Claudia Winkleman’, Mr Norton, who did his best to represent her signature look. He was supported by many other members of staff and Sixth Form volunteers, including two co-‘Claudias’, to whom he is very grateful. This fundraising initiative, which has so far raised over £1000, was featured on BBC Radio Kent and an online article.
Mr Norton selected Samaritans as he volunteers at the Ashford and Tenterden branch. Some of the other volunteers visited the school for the final event on Thursday 3 April and provided students with an opportunity to ask questions about volunteering for the charity. The weekly videos were also used to raise awareness about the charity and involved clips from some of these volunteers. We are particularly grateful to Kate Jamieson, the Branch Director, for her support throughout this competition. Samaritans receives a call every 10 seconds from a person needing someone to listen. Listening volunteers are trained to help callers explore their thoughts and feelings, and do not offer advice. They provide this free service over the phone, through email and via online chat. If you would like to donate to the branch, your contributions would be gratefully received via WisePay.
