PUPILS and staff at Alva Academy continue to impress with their Macmillan fundraising efforts, having surpassed the one-third million pound total landmark last week.

And this year’s activities, led by the current S6s and already netting around £20,000, have not reached the climax yet as the school’s annual Macmillan Coffee Morning, to which the public is being invited, is set to take place on Friday, September 27, from 9am to 12noon.

Having passed the £333,333.33 total raised over the years since 2004, Alva Academy retains its position as the largest non-corporate fundraiser for the charity, an incredible feat for a school from the Wee County with a roll of around 900 pupils.

David Clifford, one of the teachers supporting the pupils with their initiatives, said: “It’s monumental.

“It’s a phenomenal achievement by one small school in a very small authority.

“It’s testament to the hard work, the dedication and the values which we hold dear to us in Alva.”

The money raised by the school each year has paid for all the grants issued by Macmillan to residents across the Hillfoots.

“That’s service, right there and then”, added the teacher.

“That’s pupils giving up the most valuable thing that they can give up which is their time.”

It is safe to say the annual coffee morning has grown arms and legs in Alva since it started with pupils now running their own sponsored events including hikes and cycles as well as much more.

Already, last week has seen the Day of Dance, new was the Day of Football with the involvement of Alloa Athletic, there were bag packs, a readathon and even a duck race.

Among the many other initiatives, pupils have also taken musical performances and bingo teas to entertain residents at local care homes and will be running shuttle buses to ferry people to the coffee morning.

Primary schools, with a disco organised for pupils, and the wider community are also getting involved.

And it would not be a Macmillan fundraiser if no one braved the shave for charity with around 24 pupils and teachers doing just that yesterday.

Mr Clifford added: “The money, as we keep saying every year, is a by-product; it’s about what the pupils get out of it.”

Indeed, through their volunteering have been able to obtain Saltire awards and there has been a 400 per cent increase in the number of medals collected as part of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.

Headteacher Scott McEwan added: “I’m in awe of the young people, of their dedication, their energy, their enthusiasm – it’s truly an inspiration.

“Each day they are, throughout September but also the whole school year, they are living and breathing our core value of service – that idea of giving something back to their local community.

“That idea of giving something back will certainly benefit our local community now, but in the long-term, it helps shape that young person as they head out into the world.”