Year 12 students spent the week taking part in lots of community based volunteering opportunities. The coach left for Minehead at 9 o clock Monday morning, armed with litter pickers and bin bags, ready to make the beach a litter free place for holiday makers. Despite it being a hot day, they worked tirelessly collecting over five bags of rubbish.

Meanwhile, back in Taunton students were helping the St Margaret’s Hospice fundraising team prepare for their event, “The Big Bash”. Students sorted through the treats that were going into goody bags. This task gave them the opportunity to experience all elements of fundraising and the small tasks that make a big difference.

Our students in the charity shops sorted donations and made displays, ready for the bargain hunters. Not wishing to leave out the local parks two teams of litter pickers took on Long Run Meadow, Staplegrove Park and Lyngford Park. Collecting four bags of rubbish and helping make the parks nicer for the younger members of our community.

Another team of students headed to The Firs to give the gardens a tidy. Lots of weeds were pulled and students realised how tiring gardening can be. On a similar theme, our last group were on the Blackdown Hills, clearing invasive Himalayan Balsalm and completing a species survey. Once the day was over and the students had returned to school, it was lovely to hear their tales of the day. They really had made a difference to the local community.

Well done everyone!