Gordon's School pupils attempt to make a difference with Enrichment Week

Some might be forgiven for thinking that Gordon’s School is offering a new type of boarding. But the 31 students sleeping on the Parade Square in cardboard boxes at the school in Woking, Surrey were experiencing first-hand what it is like to be homeless.

The students listened to a presentation by the homeless charity Launchpad, based in Reading and had a soup kitchen before making themselves comfortable on the concrete for the night!

The event was part of Gordon’s School Enrichment Week – three days where three year groups take part in a range of activities locally, nationally and in Europe – and ‘Make a Difference’ (MAD) Day in which students took part in 15 different activities designed to make a difference to their community.

This included helping stock-take for a local foodbank; litter-picking; car washing; volunteering at local primary schools; supporting local charities; leading a pre-school sports day and making a delicious afternoon tea and serving it to elderly residents in the community.

One group set themselves the task of making over 700 poppies. Each poppy, has been inscribed with the name of a Gordonian killed in the First World War. The poppies will be ‘planted’ next to the statue of General Charles Gordon at the school for the Remembrance Parade in November.

Enrichment Week organiser Cath Holmes commented: “This was a week that really has ‘made a difference’. Once again our students have surprised themselves, been challenged, given responsibility, and interacted with peers, staff and complete strangers in familiar and completely new environments. It has been wonderful to see the way in which they have contributed to their local community and the week has created lasting memories for all of them.”