Alongside all our ongoing service partnerships, students have been keen to lead a few initiatives in the run up to Christmas, in support of our local community.
This week Mr Holden and his tutor group have been leading our first welly wanging competition to raise funds to buy new wellies for local primary school children, alongside collecting wellies and winter warmers (gloves, hats, scarfs and ear-muffs). This is in support of growing outdoor education work in primary schools, with its strong links to student well-being.
Following an incredible response to our last food and hygiene collection, with nearly 50 packages donated to meet requests at local schools led by Alicia Ismail and a Lower Sixth team, tutor groups are being asked to create packages for different community members from 1-12 December this year. More details on this, and the items requested, will follow from the Local Action service team.
On Friday 4 December (Saturday 5 for Lower School), following nominations from across the school, the new Charity Think Tank are asking students to bring in £1 and wear green in support of Stem4, a charity supporting youth with their mental health. Anna Tarasheva, Phoebe Critchlow and Payton Hawkins in Year 11 are leading the day, supported a wider student committee, and are keen to share ideas about well-being and destigmatise mental health challenges. On the 16 December, we will also be wearing Christmas jumpers in support of NHS staff well-being at the Tunbridge Wells hospital.
Finally, a concert for the elderly led by Anna Tarasheva, named ‘Sevenoaks Sounds 2.0’, will also be sent out to care homes. It has been inspiring to see our students think about the impact of Covid on different groups and explore ways to help.
