Larbert, Denny and Falkirk High Schools all joined the ‘Celebrate 45’ campaign, signing up after a call out to local schools from the hospice and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Forth Valley - and each came to the table with their own story to tell.

For Larbert High School, the event was organised in memory of a much-loved colleague and teacher, Gary Balfour, who was cared for by Strathcarron.

Described as an “absolute one off” and “one in a million”, Gary had a gift for finding the spark in young people who didn’t always believe in themselves.

Pupils from the Additional Support Centre where he taught, welcomed guests to the event on Thursday 12 March and made jewellery and sweetie bags to help raise funds.

Academy of Hospitality students baked and served a spread of scones, traybakes, empire biscuits and chocolate cake, while Expressive Arts pupils created painted jam jars and glasses to dress the tables.

The afternoon was a huge success, not only as a celebration of Gary’s life but also of the work the hospice does every day - providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care, free of charge, to people across Forth Valley, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.

As the nearest secondary school to Strathcarron, Denny High School has built a longstanding relationship with the hospice over the years, placing Skills for Work Hospitality pupils in its kitchens for work experience. When Strathcarron asked schools to get involved in its celebrations, the school jumped at the chance.

Held on Thursday 12 March, its evening event doubled as the final assessment for S4 to S6 pupils working towards their Level 5 Hospitality qualification. They created a themed, bespoke menu that included Stranger Things Hellfire Chilli Nachos and Ghostbusters-themed desserts.

Music was performed by pupils who volunteer from the music department and the Art Department provided a photographer to capture the pupils’ hard work.

As well as highlighting just how important the hospice is to its local community, the event helped raise £2000 for the charity which needs £19,452 every day to continue delivering its services.

At Falkirk High, the FK1 Events Management Team - 16 S5 and S6 pupils - ran two sittings of a traditional afternoon tea on Thursday 5 March, welcoming Strathcarron volunteers, school staff and the wider school community.

Pupils planned and prepared a spread of classic afternoon tea treats, along with an old school cake box that guests could purchase for a donation. They used all their skills to design, plan, organise and run the event, determined to deliver an enjoyable experience for everyone who attended.

Like Denny’s event, Falkirk High’s afternoon tea also contributed towards the pupils Skills for Work Hospitality L5 qualifications, with one team leading on front of house, table settings and service and the other focused on the kitchen, preparing, baking and assembling afternoon teas.