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Oxford Children's Hospital CampaignLittle People, Big Needs. Making it Better.

Home » Andrew Baker » Spotlight AwardThe Deutsche Bank Spotlight Awards

May 2007 saw Andrew awarded in aNational awards scheme, recognisingyoungsters who have achievedremarkable things.

In February 2007, I received the newsthat I had been nominated for aspecial award - and had reached thefinals of the Deutsche Bank SpotlightAwards, run by Internationalleadership organisation CommonPurpose.

The Awards were in their sixth year,and were to be held in London onTuesday 15th May 2007. I didn’t knowwhat it would be like, but it wasamazing - and I was just one of 12young people nominated for someoutstanding campaigns. Over 340young people were nominated so itwas a big achievement to be a finalist.

Every single one of the finalists hadmade a big difference to the quality ofpeople’s lives, in some way - and I have to say my campaign is far less superiorin my opinion than some of the other finalists - who are just ‘amazing’ for thethings they’ve conquered. I was selected for my campaign raising £20,000 forCHOX - The Oxford Children’s Hospital.

So in March the organiser, Tracy Thurgar from Common Purpose, met up withme and the Head Mr Bryan at the school to find out more about me and mycampaign for CHOX, so the Judges’ could choose the overall winners over abreakfast weeks later.

One of the judges was TV presenter, Ben Shephard, mostly known for hostingITV1’s GMTV. So I was invited to the gala ceremony, which was held in CentralLondon at the offices of Deutsche Bank, the sponsors.

The Deutsche Bank offices really are grand - very tall and huge (and just like ahotel)! ‘Very swish’ if I say so myself! I attended with my biggest supporter ofall, my Mum and also present was Mr Bryan and Graham Brogden, of CHOX.

Lovely Tracy and her lovely colleagues took good care of us all, and made usvery welcome for the day at a buffet lunch before we took part in a media-training session with Joanna Thorpe (marketing director of Common Purpose),where I also met Una of the organisation. And was amongst a group of veryoutstanding individuals (who were all so nice - and I have to say ‘Ace’ too)!

One of those finalists was inspirational Kendra, fromSouth Yorkshire, who set up her own charity‘Change for A Smile’ to raise funds and awarenessof Parkinson’s Disease and epilepsy, visit herwebsite. She has organised many great events, andhas a star-studded event coming up later this year

- if you’re reading Kendra, you’re amazing and‘good luck’!

Other finalists included a group of schoolchildrenwho wanted to tell the public that teens can becaring and make a difference and helped make adifference to young people in deprived areas,including holding a fashion show to raise money for those suffering from cancerfor a new treatment centre. There was also a 12-year old who set up his ownradio station to give young people a voice and get their views across, and a girlfrom Birmingham who set up “Streetz Ahead”, setting up six bases across thecity and manager of the project.

So, at 4pm was the time - we headed over tothe auditorium for the ceremony with nibblesand drinks, right. over 100 people turned out tohear who had won. We - including myself - whohad spent a whole day there were clenching ourhands to our seats waiting to find out whowould walk away with the prizes. First up wasKendra, and then another 4 finalists who allwalked with the award of £1,000. Ben Shephard host the ceremony. It was areal star occasion and quite uplifting (and emotional) too! I never believed Iwould win, but to be a Runner-Up was just a really good feeling!!

Ben is a great guy, he presented me with my certificate and £100 prize,pictured. He came out after the ceremony in the drinks reception and spoke tome and my Mum. It was a really special day and Ben was really endorsed by mycampaign, who described me as having done ‘an excellent job with a greatcampaign’.

Tracy, of the Spotlight Awards: “Andrew is remarkable. He has not let the factthat he is young stop him from making important improvements to hiscommunity.”

Thanks to Tracy and everyone at Common Purpose for giving me such a fantasticday, and a day I shall remember for years to come. And BIG Thanks to everyonewhose supported my efforts to raise money for CHOX . . . I couldn’t have done itwithout you - please keep it going!

Watch the 2007 Finalists’ Film

The Judges’ Verdict >>>

The Oxford Children’s Hospital Campaign (CHOX) started in 2002. Having been apatient himself at the facility after suffering a brain tumour, Andrew Baker sawan opportunity to make a difference himself.

Andrew approached his headmaster with ideas to raise awareness of and fundsfor CHOX. After the first event he organised, which was a non-school uniformday, raised over £1000 Andrew wanted to do more. He set himself a goal ofraising £20,000 for CHOX. He wanted to make a substantial donation to the fundthat would be enough to make a real difference.

To achieve this aim Andrew wanted to get his whole school involved. He took hiscampaign further by producing an information pack for distributing in the schoolregisters and holding school assemblies. He did a survey in the school to seehow many of the pupils had been in hospital over night. Over 40% had been andhe used this information to encourage the other pupils to make a differencethemselves. He also maintains a noticeboard in the school where all of theachievements and activities are displayed.

Andrew never loses an opportunity to publicise the events that he organises andwas keen to gain as much publicity as he could for his activities. He has been ontelevision and radio, and in the newspapers in the Oxfordshire area. Other pupilsand staff were inspired to raise money for CHOX, after being inspired byAndrew’s drive and the exposure for CHOX that he had created. It has not only

been his school that Andrew has rallied to ‘do something’ in his campaign, he hasenlisted other schools in the area and they have followed Andrew’s example.

Andrew has worked with the school web team to create a website where peoplewho have read about his achievements can make donations and find out moreabout the children’s hospital. So far (at March 2007) the website has had 34,000hits!

Andrew thinks the hardest part of the campaign was the initial organisation andcoordination, but the response from fellow pupils, teachers and family has beenoverwhelming. He has raised the most money for the CHOX Campaign of anysingle campaigner. So far the campaign has made over £13,625. The biggestsingle cheque he has given was after organising a whole school sponsored walkthat raised £6000 for CHOX.

Andrew wants to have reached his target of £20,000 by the end of the year. Hesays: “I will get there even if it means doing anything to get people to dosomething - or getting each pupil and staff to give £2 each - that would raise£5,166 if I did!!!”

Images Copyright. Common Purpose 2007

The Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign is part of the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Charitable Fund.Registered Charity No. 1057295. Edited by Andrew Baker. This is not the official campaign website.

The Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign is proudly supported by St. Birinus School.

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