Our Year 8 pupils have taken part in weekly visits as befrienders to Kingswood Court Nursing Home, Epsom Beaumont Care Home and Rosebery Manor Care Home, where they entertained residents with their singing, engaged them in conversations, and even painted some of the residents’ nails.
In addition, some pupils have helped with garden allotment tidying at Wallace Fields Infants School, while others have explored local fauna and flora at a protected wildlife field in Banstead, led by Mrs Diana Beck from Banstead Horticultural Society.
At the College, groups have written pen-pal letters to residents in care homes, created and painted jigsaw puzzles and donated them to The Red House Ashtead and Eversfield Care Home in Sutton. Pupils have also learned macramé in order to make keyrings and plant holders, which were donated to Maggie’s Royal Marsden – in support of their fundraising initiatives.
“The feedback we’ve received from pupils has been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s clear the year group has enjoyed their volunteering sessions,” said Roshie Watkins, Community & Volunteering Manager. “Through the weekly carousel sessions, we aim for Year 8 to understand the value of volunteering and the positive impact they can make in their local community. We’re especially grateful for the continued support from our placement providers, who have made these opportunities possible for the Lower School.”
