A SCHOOL is raising money for flood victims after one of its young pupils wrote a letter to the headteacher suggesting the idea.

Isobel Ferdinando-Hemmings, six, wrote the appeal after hearing about the flooding in the South West of England at the start of the year.

Isobel, who is inYear 1, said: “I was watching TV and saw people in the flooding, and I thought maybe we can help. I would be very sad if it happened to us.”

Isobel, who attends Fairhouse Community Infant School, Basildon, decided she wanted to raise money for those affected and wrote to her headteacher with fundraising ideas.

The letter asked Glynys Jones to hold a day for pupils to donate money and contained ideas for the pupils to dress in particular clothing.

Isobel said: “Mummy helped with my spelling.

“When I finished she said ‘good girl’.”

The school decided to go ahead with Isobel’s idea of the staff and pupils at the infant school dressing in yellow tops and blue trousers. Isobel said: “I chose the colours because the sun is yellow and the sea is blue.”

Headteacher Mrs Jones instantly agreed with the idea.

She said: “It’s so thoughtful of a six-year-old and it’s all her own idea.

“There’s no prompt from anyone else and it’s not commercial.

I’m very proud. It’s the type of child you wish to bring up. One that cares and thinks of others.”

Pupils at the infants school have so far raised £142, without donations from staff. The school has 180 pupils and is hoping to raise as much as it can.

Mrs Jones said: “Of course, Isobel wants to help everybody affected by the flooding, but a member of staff here knows a teacher in Somerset whose school was affected. We are trying to arrange help if they need any money for new books and bits like that.”

Isobel’s letter is displayed in the reception of the infants school.