PUPILS and staff at Cumnock Academy were joined by guests to mark 100 years of equal votes.

They held an Equalitea and Coffee Morning which raised almost £360 for a school in Liberia, a country still recovering from an Ebola virus epidemic.

MSP Colin Smyth, councillor Jacqui Todd and other guests helped make the event a success as they enjoyed a cuppa while chatting to groups of pupils about the event.

As well as the charity aspect, it gave everyone in attendance an opportunity to celebrate 90 years since all men and women over 21 got the equal right to vote.

In addition, the excellent work that Cumnock and Auchinleck Academies have been doing together to promote rights within the schools and local community was highlighted.

A spokeswoman for Cumnock Academy said: “The Equalitea and Coffee morning was a fabulous success. Thank you to all that came, baked, chatted about equality, drank copious amounts of tea and raised an amazing £359.36.

“The money will be going to Jebbeh Kiazolu Primary School in Liberia, so that children there can enjoy their basic rights to food, water and education.”

Equalitea was organised on a UK-wide basis as a giant tea party in recognition of the days when such get-togethers were hotbeds of political activism. The leading suffrage organisations used tea parties and tea shops as central elements in their campaigning.

Recreating that at Cumnock Academy with politicians taking part paid tribute to the people who were pioneers in the quest for equal votes.