6
September 2016
Abingdon
News
V
ictoria Middleton, Master in Charge of Community Service
As part of the School’s Other Half programme, boys take part in community service;
visiting the local hospital, residential homes, primary schools and charity shops. Not
only do they take pride in helping the local community, they also learn about residents’
lives and British culture and they get to know the town. Two students, Archie Williams
and Jeffrey Leung, who have been participating in the Community Service programme
for years, describe their experiences.
Giving something back
Archie and
Tony playing
cribbage
Jeffrey Leung (Upper Sixth):
As part of my community service, I spend
time visiting residential homes, the local
hospital and the Older and Bolder exercise
group, where I serve tea and run a quiz. I
really enjoy getting to know the residents
of care homes. This is a rare opportunity
and is a complete contrast to life at
school. It is very rewarding just seeing the
elderly appreciating the company. Not only
have I gained fulfilment, I also completed
an EPQ investigation on the issue of
dementia, which was very informative
and will help me when I go to university to
study Medicine.
Archie Williams (Lower Sixth):
Without wishing to sound obsequious,
community service is something I find
tremendously rewarding. I have been
doing it since the 4th year, and have
derived pleasure from meeting and
engaging with the people at Old Station
House to an extent that has surprised
myself. I have met many remarkable
people with fascinating stories to tell. One
thing I particularly enjoy is playing cribbage
with Tony at Old Station House, after he
told me no one else there knew how to
play. Though he did utterly destroy me the
first time we played, I have improved and
the playing field is now more even. I think
he enjoys it - I certainly do
Top of the Bench
Ethan McLellan, James Munday, Theo
Sandstrom and Patrick McCubbin
achieved second place in the national
final of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s
Top of the Bench competition held at
Loughborough University. This is a
fiercely contested competition and an
excellent result for the team.
