Brentwoodian 2019

98 VSA The VSA is, as previously stated by one of our members, “more than picking up litter”. This year, the former CSU not only underwent a name change but also more positive changes led by the new Head of VSA, Miss Martin. Until the end of Trinity term, our members engaged in several activities as in previous years, such as visiting care homes, learning British sign language, doing first aid courses, helping in charity shops and continuing to make the School a green place. We also went on a few trips this year, such as the London Sealife Centre, as well as another trip to Colchester Zoo, in which we learned more about conservation. At the end of the year, several of our members participated in a beach clean-up, picking up litter and other things roaming about. This year, in Michaelmas term, our members will be taught and talked through several workshops led by groups and organisations outside of school. Then in Lent and Trinity, the VSA are receiving their first set of uniforms and going back to activities, where we are aiming to help more locally. The first week of this term, we had a workshop led by the Wilderness Foundation. This was followed by a session on British sign language, and an external workshop led by NCS. In the near future, our members will also be helping at an elderly event in October; there will be an external workshop on dementia training, and then we will be working closely with WildEd. By Inger Hansen Voluntary Service Activity Little Havens Hospice is a great charity. It helps children who are critically ill or on their last few steps to enjoy their life more. Little Havens is a specialist centre that devotes their time to achieving this. Not only do they give the children a break, but the parents too. Their specialist team means that they can do whatever is necessary to help these kids and care for them properly. Knowing this, I chose this charity to raise money for. I knew that cakes and brownies would sell in our school, as the tuck shop is a popular place; I also knew that I could cook well and that I could assure that the cakes were allergen free. I started off by making around 15 tins of cakes to sell. I also managed to organise a two-day time slot to sell them by the cricket pavilion. I had to be organised to manage this, as I had to contact teachers for permission to leave a little early to set up, thinking about how to get the cakes to school, etc. I made the cakes with the help of my mum and partnered up with a few of my friends. We sold them throughout the two days of breaks and were left with only half a tin of cake spare. I was delighted that I had managed to raise £180 in total within the 40 minutes I had to sell them. I split this total with one of my friends, who was also participating for another charity, and sent off the £90 to Little Havens Hospice, all of this with the help of Miss Martin, my House charity leader. I would suggest that everyone try raising money for some sort of charity; it isn’t as hard as it seems. Find something that you like, try to organise something with the help of a parent or teacher, and you may feel a sense of achievement. By Rohan Aggarwal Little Havens Hospice