Young students from Aylesford & Myton schools joined us for our annual scholars’ lunch this week.
Gemma Hutchings Asst head 6th Form at Aylesford School and Thomas Garner, year 12 head at Myton School each brought two final year students.
President Alan Bailey told them about the many projects we do with local young people; from delivering dictionaries to junior schools to Youth Speaking competitions, and the Midsummer Schools concert, as well as funding the re-roofing of a school overseas in Bo, Sierra Leone.
Aylesford 6th form leaders Lucy Bicknell and Thomas Pitt talked about their ARK scheme of Ambition, Resilience and Kindness raising money and supporting local charities. Working with 4 charities – Kissing it Better, Vision Support, Safeline and Mat Davis Foundation (Teenage Cancer) has brought them insights to local peoples struggles. They organised a charity week, and an artwork competition made into signs placed for the Wildflower Corridor at Warwick Hospital. Charity events at school include an upcoming 5k run at Stratford racecourse and helped to raise about £3,000 last year.
Myton 6th form leaders Aaron Dhesi and Fenneh Bridge explained the students 5- year plan to improve the school’s environmental footprint. Starting by recycling the cans disposed in the canteen, they have focused on everyday actions to reduce waste and energy usage including examining the opportunities to install solar panels on the school buildings. They are increasing biodiversity using plastic bottles as bird feeders, planting wildflower meadows and corridors, and re-using vintage clothes.
Margaret Morley, Rotary District Peace Officer, presented Myton with the plaque to go with the Peace Pole they installed in 2020 as Covid struck, and expressed the hope this would form the centre of a Peace garden. Aylesford were also presented with a Peace award following their work.
Rotarian Jon Wassall identified the many local charities offering support to help students access to training and grants. Rotary is a world-wide organisation, and they can find support wherever they work or travel.
President Alan Bailey concluded by thanking the students for taking time out from preparing for their exams and wished them every success for the future.
