THE hard work and enthusiasm of pupils at one school has helped them raise almost £10,000 for charity during the past year.

Pupils at Bury Grammar School (Girls) have thrown themselves into making money for groups in the town, throughout the country and across the world.

Fairfield Hospital's Baby Lifeline appeal has been presented with £345, while the Bury Society for the Blind and Partially Sighted has been given a cheque for £292.

Mrs Joan Hunwick, charities co-ordinator at the school, said: "I took over the running of charities at school last September and have been blessed with a team of sensible, hard-working sixth formers and surrounded with great enthusiasm."

Food has proved to be a great fund-raiser at the school with sales of toast and Indian foods raising £305 to send to a school in Vietnam where a former student is teaching.

Victoria Grabowski, in the lower sixth, took on the role of chairman of the charities committee and singlehandedly raised £457 for Hurdles, based at the Red Centre, for children with learning difficulties.

Victoria has been awarded the 2002 Young Person in the Community and the Diana, Princess of Wales Award.

The total raised by the school is £9,227, with events starting again in the new school year in September.

Mrs Hunwick said: "We look forward to another year of enthusiastic and innovative ideas to help the many charities that we support."