Legendary Oasis Academy Brightstowe youngster raises over £1,300 for Bristol Children’s Hospital

An inspirational secondary school student has raised an incredible amount for Bristol Royal Hospital for Children throughout the pandemic totalling £1,397.15 as part of their ‘Grand Appeal'.

Stephen Finch aged 13, and a student at Oasis Academy Brightstowe in Shirehampton has been raising money since he was aged eight for a number of causes and this was his latest amazing fundraising feat!

As part of Stephen’s fundraising campaign he climbed the rigging of the Ss Great Britain and the longest zip wire in Wales, in August he went paddle boarding which raised £170 on its own.

The fundraising Stephen is doing will help save lives and support unwell babies and children at Bristol Children’s Hospital.

Alan Dane, Principal at Oasis Academy Brightstowe, commented saying; “Our academy motto is ‘Be brave. Be kind. Shine bright.’ Stephen embodies this and we are very proud of him indeed.”

It doesn’t stop here for Stephen, he has some big plans ahead, including wanting himself and his mum to do a sky dive when he turns sixteen and also complete a wing walk with his grandma which we hopes to happen next year, pandemic allowing.

Alison Finch, mum of Stephen, added; “What can I say, the first time he said to me ‘mum I want to raise the money for the children's hospital’, I cried he was so concerned he said he wanted to make the children and their families to be able to see each other, and the money he raises goes to family accommodation when their children are in hospital. It started off by him saving loose change but has progressed from there.”

From a young age Stephen has been incredibly passionate about fighting for things such as library closures and did a petition to try and stop them closing he was only eight at the time.

In response to the amount Stephen had raised via Twitter, The Grand Appeal said; “This is such an amazing amount! You must thank your student for being a part of our fundraising family.”

Mum continued to say; “Words can't express what he means to us as a family he puts his all into everything he does.”

From pioneering research, innovation and life-saving equipment, to family accommodation and specialist support staff, the Grand Appeal provides care, support and a lifeline to enable a family to cope with what lies ahead, whatever the outcome, and they rely support from people just like Stephen, a true hero.