Parade College’s Preston Campus held a full campus assembly on Thursday, May 5, to celebrate the Feast of Edmund Rice and to launch Edmund Rice Solidarity Fortnight. During this two week period, Parade Preston will focus as a whole school community on support for marginalised peoples. The Foundation expresses its thanks and appreciation to the staff and students for taking on the Mary Rice Day Care Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, as the special focus for their fundraising. Parade Preston takes a community building approach in fundraising and each day, for the next fortnight, students and staff will participate together in a series of fundraising activities and competitions that will culminate with a Solidarity Walk and BBQ.

Mary Rice Day Care Centre supports children and young people with physical and intellectual disabilities from the Kibera slum area of Nairobi, where no such services for the disabled exist. Through the development of living skills, self care, educational, creative and recreational activities, Mary Rice builds confidence and brings hope and dignity. Through home visits, parents are assisted with the care of their family member and networked with each other for mutual support. The Centre endeavours to assist with transition into mainstream schooling or job skills training. To view the Foundation’s Mary Rice photo set click here on http://www.flickr.com/photos/erfoundation/sets/72157626543607758/