Children with special needs have enjoyed a holiday with St John’s School.
Sixth form pupils from St John’s, in Leatherhead, volunteered for their second annual community holiday this summer, welcoming 20 children aged between 10 and 16 years-old with a variety of special needs to the school.
Sophie Evans and Hollie West enjoyed making biscuits together
The holiday included trips to Chessington World of Adventures and to see Wicked at the West End, as well as a range of school-based activities such as circus entertainment, discos, arts and crafts and swimming sessions.
Livvy Copeman, a volunteer from St John’s in the Upper Sixth, said: "I took part in the holiday to make a difference to those who have special needs in terms of giving them a week of independence and a new set of friends.
"I have so many happy memories from last summer, and am delighted to be taking part again."
The pupils from St John’s provided individual support for each child throughout the day and night, with volunteers and children boarding together at the school.
In order to support the week, pupils and the school have to raise £20,000 each year.
Fundraising activities this year included a sponsored swim, a quiz evening and even a night sleeping outside, without tents, on the school’s quadrangle in March, which raised more than £6,000.
The children with special needs who take part are selected by a specialist volunteer, and the holiday has become so popular that school has had to draw up waiting lists of those wanting to take part.
Judith Fowler, who runs the Community Service Unit at the school and is responsible for the fundraising behind the Community Week, said the holiday grew out of the voluntary work that the pupils already undertook.
She said: "We wanted to extend it to run a residential holiday here at the school. We always wanted it to be an annual event in order that children had a regular independent break to look forward to and that parents could get much needed respite.
"It is an incredible thing for our pupils to do. They enjoy it enormously."
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