Ditching normal lunch for curry is always a popular event at a secondary school - and doing so has helped to raise funds for good causes at the same time.

Herts Advertiser: St George's eventsSt George's events (Image: Archant)

Catering staff at St George’s School in Harpenden serve the best part of a thousand curries in an hour as part of the Big Curry event in aid of The Soldier’s Charity which involves schools and businesses across the UK.

And the diet conscious then took part in the Great Curry Run the following day involving running or walking up to 20km along the Nicky Line and pavements of West Common.

The whole curry event was preceded by the school hosting a visit from soldiers of the Mortar Platoon of D company, 2nd Battalion the Anglian Regiment who, with detachments of the Royal Marines Commandos and the Grenadier Guards, spoke about the work of the forces and helped students experience commando fitness.

Over the last few years St George’s has become the biggest single non-corporate donor to The Soldier’s Charity and the curry events this year raised around £25,000.

Herts Advertiser: St George's eventsSt George's events (Image: Archant)

Chief of staff, Brigadier Robin Bacon, wrote: “We are encouraging hundreds of schools up and down the country to take part in our campaign, but none come near the massive fundraising totals and commitment of St George’s School; you remain firmly at the top of the leader board.”

This year the school decided to split the funds raised by the curry events with a charity founded by the family of one of its Year Nine students,

Elizabeth’s Legacy of Hope, which raises money for child amputees in the developing world to try to ensure they get appropriate care and artificial limbs, was founded by Sarah Hope in recognition of the help her daughter Pollyanna received following a serious bus accident in London in which her grandmother died.

Emilie Schultze, of Elizabeth’s Legacy of Hope, said: “The St George’s event raised enough to provide 127 children with prosthetic limbs and to cover their school fees for a year. Thank you so much for making this happen”

* Three fruit trees have been planted at St George’s to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Boarding Schools Association.

The aim is for the Boarding Orchard to become the largest orchard in the UK and involves schools with a boarding facility, like St George’s. taking part by planting fruit trees in their grounds.

St George’s has planted a Victoria Plum outside school house and two Bramley Apples, one in each of the house gardens.