Richmond's Community Service Club Visits Ham School

07/10/2008

The Community Service Club Volunteers at Ham School

On Friday the 26th of September, 11 members of Richmond’s own Community Service Club (CSC) took a bus down to St Richard’s with St Andrew’s CE Primary School. Richmond had collaborated with this school in the past, but now the CSC has planned for Richmond students to interact and serve as role models for the students at St. Richard’s with St. Andrew’s.

The school is located in one of Ham’s less affluent neighbourhoods; a much different place from the University on top of Richmond Hill!

Yet the atmosphere at St Richard’s with St Andrew’s School could not have been more different. Brightly coloured student paintings covered the school walls, and books and toys littered the play corners. We were welcomed with open arms not only by the faculty, but also (quite literally) by the students. When the headmistress introduced us to groups of 1st to 3rd graders and told them that we could be coming to play with them at lunch, a ripple of excitement coursed through the classroom:
‘Yes!’
‘Can we play football?’
‘I want to play with you, and you…’
‘Yaaaaaay!’
‘Are you going to come back every week?’

In the course of an hour, Richmond students played football, basketball, jump-rope, and hopscotch with children of all ages. CSC members were tagged, climbed-on, doggypiled, and tackled. Everyone had a very enjoyable afternoon – and not just the little children. The students at St Richard’s with St Andrew’s managed to bring out the kid in the University students again – and that is something worth giving up your Friday afternoon for.

Also for your information...

If anyone is interested in joining us on our next visit, please let one of the officers know!

The money the club makes from bake sales, the Valentine’s Day auction and other fundraisers goes directly to St Richard’s with St Andrew’s. During our visit we were very happy to note that this money had been used on books, school supplies and playground equipment.

Many thanks to all those who participated in making the children's lives a little more colourful: Marc McEachnie, Devan Firoozi, Courtney Scofield, Claire Helfrich, Denise Doryumu, Sebastian Miranda, Joseph B. Lomotey III, Eric T. B.
Lomotey, Kornel Tetera, Alyssa Decitise, Margaret Wetter. And a special thank- you to Christine Zaher and Ashley Baronette for organising this trip.

Link to this page: http://www.richmond.ac.uk/n/589.aspx