Over the years of its existence, SAPA has made over £400,000 of gifts to the schools (including paying for two of the minibuses still used regularly by the schools). Many parents work very hard to organise the events and it is of course you, the boys' parents, who are to be congratulated for all the support you provide throughout the years.

Please continue to support SAPA's events and don't forget that SAPA will welcome any parent who wishes to join the committee and help out. Besides the hourly monthly meetings you would be expected to help with arranging events. It's not too onerous and we do have a lot of fun.

Some of the most recent donations to the schools over the last year include the following:

Musical instruments - £5000

A total of £5000 was pledged for the purchase of various instruments and other items of equipment for the college music department. This gives boys the chance to try out an instrument without the initial outlay of buying one. After finding one they take to, many will go on to purchase their own instrument, and on the other hand, it avoids parents making expensive purchases that may soon go unused!

Prep Gym Equipment - £5875

Nearly £6000 was given to the prep to pay for gym equipment for the recently built hall, including new mats and the installation of a gym bar system.

P.A. System - £1700

SAPA purchased a portable P.A. system, for use both at SAPA events, and also for college and prep activities. The £1700 cost included a radio microphone, and also a flight case on wheels to make it easy to transport. We hope it will provide a valuable resource for years into the future.

Sixth Form Sierra Leone trip - £3000

SAPA is very happy to support the "immersion experience" organised by the Edmund Rice Network, where twelve of the upper six students and several staff members will go to Sierra Leone (in October 2010), spending several days in Freetown, including visiting the slums, and also some time teaching in a primary school in Bo, Sierra Leone's second city. This is part of the Christian Brothers' mission, to reach out the to poor and marginalised of the world, and will be a valuable experience for the boys, who however are well aware of the saying, "You don't change Africa, Africa changes you".