The teachers, learning support assistants and students of St Theresa College Boys' Secondary School in Sta Venera recently bandied together to raise a substantial amount of money for Beyond the Moon. The funds will be used to support the charity in its efforts to send seriously ill children and their families on a holiday of a lifetime.

In fact, the school was inspired to act after its headmaster Jonathan Attard and his family directly benefited from donations to Beyond the Moon. "My son Nikolai was very ill in 2012 and things were very stressful for us as a family. However, thanks to fund-raising efforts by the Corinthia Palace Hotel and Spa and Round Table 1, as well as the work of BTM, we were able to enjoy a holiday together at the Landal GreenParks Rabbit Hill Family Resort in the Netherlands. It gave us the unique chance to relax as a family away from hospitals and medicine, and to focus on Nikolai's recovery."

During this scholastic year (2016/2017), Mr Attard began fund-raising efforts at his school so that another family would benefit from such an experience. Activities included a BBQ lunch for teachers and LSAs, and a casual day and pasta event organised by the Students' School Council. "It was such a success that we now hope to make it an annual tradition," Mr Attard smiles.

Following the activities, some of the students and teachers involved in the activities were invited to the Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa, where Marisa Xuereb, who champions the hotel's own charity efforts, accepted the funds on behalf of Beyond the Moon.

"Mr Attard's family is living proof of the valuable work that Beyond the Moon does on a daily basis and we are very proud to support them," she said, adding that, over the years, the hotel has raised enough money to send 20 families on holiday. "We hope that these funds will help to bring happiness to a seriously ill child and their family at a time when they need it most."

The Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa's next fund-raising efforts for Beyond the Moon will take place on 30 April and 1 May, with the upcoming edition of the popular Perfect Mother's Day Gift fair. This year's fair will be held in both the Petit Garden and the Corinthia Ballroom