'I felt like I'd just conquered the world!'

That's what one primary pupil said after taking part in the Shakespeare Schools Festival. The Festival is the flagship project of Shakespeare Schools Foundation, the charity which I (Helen) work for.

Taking place each autumn, the Festival gives up to 30,000 young people the chance to perform Shakespeare on a professional theatre stage in front of a packed audience. We work with students from primary, secondary and special schools all over the UK, and are committed to reaching those in disadvantaged areas. 

Performing is an exhilarating experience, and one that can give young people confidence and self-esteem to last a lifetime. 

We'd love to help make this happen for more young people. That's why we're taking on a challenge of our own and swimming 1-mile around the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park (last year we did 1/2 mile, so have decided to push ourselves a bit more!).

We'd be very grateful for your donation. Every penny can make a difference!