Serving the Community, Students in Action' was our slogan for the thrid annual Royal Holloway, University of London Volunteering Week, 2-5 June 2008. A partnership initiative organised by the Students' Union, Sports Development and the College's Community Action with various local community organisations. This year we were given funding by Surrey County Council Local Committee in Runnymede.

Community projects to included:

• Good Companions Clubhouse Painting - Staines
• ChristChurch Infant Wall Mural and Swimming Pool Artwork - Virginia Water
• Manor Farm Tea with Elders - Egham
• Trumps Green Infant Outside In Project - Virgina Water
• St Cuthbert's Playground Fences - Englefield Green
• St Jude's Cemetery Regeneration Project - Englefield Green
• White Lodge Centre Cleaning toys and Physiotherapy equipment - Chertsey
• Birchlands Residential Sensory Garden - Englefield Green
• Lynwood Nursing Home Grounds Tidy & Cleaning Wheelchairs - Sunningdale (BEN)
• Thorpe Lea Primary External Face-Lift - Egham Hythe
• St Jude's Wall Mural - Englefield Green
• Manorcroft Outdoors - Egham
• NACRO e2e Youth Allotments - Staines
• Englefield Green Infant Fences & Gardens - Englefield Green

Further to this the Student Union organised Insanity radio and Orbital magazine workshops for local secondary schools. The student clubs also hosted sports sessions such as hockey, basketball, golf, rugby, cricket, american football, ultimate frisbee with lunchtime demonstrations for local primary school children during the week organised by the college's Sports Development Executive .

"The womens football team were brilliant and worked really hard. We were so pleased with the results." Molly Andrews, Lynwood Nursing Home BEN

"We have been most impressed by the standards of your students, they were very pleasant young people to have in our school. The Year 5 group also thoroughly enjoyed their sports visit to Royal Holloway." Rosemary Wilder, Headteacher of St Cuthbert's

"Our young people who visited your radio station had a great time, your students made them feel welcome and relaxed. The students who volunteered on our allotment worked hard, had a great sense of humour and were a delight to meet." Christina Williams, Manager of Nacro, Staines

"They all worked really hard and were really enthusiastic about the project, they have made a significant difference to our school enviornment." Jane Gow, Headteacher of Christ Church

"A GREAT BIG THANKYOU to the Rugby players who so kindly gave up their time, to come and paint our school." Sarah Tarrant, Headteacher of Thorpe Lea

"This year we have seen the most successful sports section of Volunteering Week with over 200 pupils engaging with new sports, such as American Football, golf and Ultimate Frisbee. Over 40 volunteers took time out to give collective total of 320 hours to back to grass roots sport. Both the student and visiting primary school pupils really gained a lot from the event." Mark Hyndman, RHUL Sports Development Executive

The week co-incided with national Volunteers' Week (1-7 June) as the UK's annual celebration of the work volunteers do. During the Week events were held across the country to recognise, reward and recruit volunteers. The RHUL Community Action Volunteering Awards Celebration took place on Wednesday 4th June with special guest Paul Sanderson MBE, it was an evening to recognise all the work our volunteers' have done over the past 12 months; celebrated with over 60 special guests from the community and college.

Click here for the Press Release concerning Volunteering Week 2008.

Click here for information on the RHUL Community Action Awards Celebration 2008.

Click here to view webpage for Volunteering Week 2007.