Throughout December, students at Reigate College have been involved in a series of initiatives to support local residents over the festive period.
The Students’ Union organised a College-wide appeal for donations of food and other necessities to be given out at food banks run by local charity Loveworks. Kate Curtis, Loveworks Charity Officer, came into College to collect the donations – helped by her daughter Mia who is currently in the Upper Sixth at Reigate College – and was thrilled by the response:
“Thank you so much to Reigate College for the very generous donation I picked up today. It was a great selection, including toiletries that we are always short of. All of the items will be used in our foodbanks in Merstham and Reigate.”
She added: “I am also delighted that we have four Reigate College students volunteering with us as a result of the VARB Volunteer Fair held at the College on Tuesday 20th November.”
Also in December, each tutor group put together a personalised Christmas gift bag to be given to a local elderly resident in collaboration with Age Concern. Over a hundred bags were donated which were personally delivered by the Students’ Union during Christmas lunch at the Merstham Daycare Centre on Friday 14th December. College students also raised money to go towards the Centre’s Shed project which will provide facilities for workshop activities.
Wendy Gregory, Community Co-ordinator at the College, said, “We had a wonderful response to both appeals. As a result of the students’ generosity, over a hundred local elderly residents have received a personal Christmas present, and local families will be helped through the Christmas period. And it’s not just local people who will benefit – the Students’ Union also held a collection for Wellingara Nursery School in the Gambia, the College’s link school, during the College Christmas celebrations. We’re very grateful to the Students’ Union for all their hard work in organising these events.”
Find out more about the Students’ Union at Reigate College.
