LOOK after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves.

The adage has definitely paid off at Blake CE Primary School, in Witney, where pupils, staff and parents have raised £1,394 for the Jubilee Fund for Oxfordshire – just by collecting their small change.

Blake Primary headteacher, Marilyn Trigg said: “Small Change, Big Difference was a project that came about because we wanted to do something truly special for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

“We decided we would all save our pennies, two pences and five pences and see what we could raise.

“We teamed up with our local sponsor Andrews estate agent, and they produced a huge collecting box for us which we put in our school reception.

“Then all the children made their own boxes which they took home and started collecting spare change.

“Every time their boxes were full, they would tip them into the giant box.”

Mrs Trigg continued: “Businesses in and around Witney took boxes too and started collecting.

“Even the Prime Minister David Cameron took a box to Number 10 and collected.

“We wrote a letter to the Queen, telling her what we were doing and we had a wonderful reply saying how much she was pleased and how she would like the money to go to the Jubilee Fund.

“So we contacted the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire Tim Stevenson, OBE, and he kindly came along to accept it on her behalf.”

Mrs Trigg said: “The children were over the moon when they learned that the money they had raised would be used to help support struggling charities and community groups here in Oxfordshire.

Lord Lieutenant Tim Stevenson, OBE said: “Blake School’s efforts have been hugely impressive and really are such a wonderful example of what can be achieved when everyone gets involved.

“What makes it even better is the Oxfordshire Community Foundation has been able to increase the money raised by allocating some their match funding so the total amount raised is actually now £2,080.50.”

The Jubilee Fund was launched in January and aims to raise millions of pounds for struggling charities and community projects, through the generosity of the general public and local business.

Aimed at securing the future of many charities which are under intense pressure due to the economic downturn, the fund is urging people from all walks of life and backgrounds to do their bit to fundraise or donate.

To donate to the Jubilee Fund or to volunteer to fundraise on its behalf, email jubilee@oxfordshire.org, call 01865 798666, or drop into OCF’s offices at 3 Woodins Way, Oxford.

Alternatively, donate by phone by texting JBLE 12 to 70070 with a donation.

To apply for Jubilee Fund cash, visit: oxfordshire.org