Pupils and staff enjoyed a colourful 'Pink’ charity day at Hurstpierpoint College on the last day before half term to raise money for the Breast Cancer Campaign.

All Senior School and Sixth Form pupils paid a small fee to wear something pink for the day and many prepared pink snacks and drinks and sold them, to help raise funds, on stalls during the morning and lunch breaks.

Earlier in the day, the entire School was addressed by two popular members of staff who are breast cancer survivors. "Kate Doehren and Helena Higgins spoke with such eloquence and dignity" commented Headmaster Tim Manly "that not a pupil left the Chapel without a clear sense of what we were seeking to achieve during the day, and why".

Immediately after lunch, the school set off in groups to complete a 5km daylight ‘moonwalk'. As is usual for such walks, bras were worn, by both sexes, outside T-shirts prompting not a few male participants to comment that they had no idea quite how uncomfortable a bra can be. "The sun shone, the atmosphere was brilliant and this was a marvellous way to finish what had been a great first half of term" said Mr. Manly.

Although it was officially a walk, some pupils - led by the Headmaster who, showing appropriate leadership, sported a bra for the event - chose to run down to the village, across to Hassocks and then back to College via the footpaths just to the south of Burgess Hill.

Over £3,000 was raised on the day. "I am", said the College's Chaplain, Father Matthew Lawson, “delighted that the entire community worked together with such determination and good humour to help in the battle against the most common form of cancer to afflict women today".