Funday organisers visit Warlingham School

Posted by David Eager on 24 January 2011

The atmosphere was tense.

It was Monday morning and Chichester and  Johnson House were in the main hall waiting for assembly. The Deputy Head Master, Nick Bradwell, was there to take assembly with a difference. There were members of the Chelsham and Farleigh “Fun Day”, The Air Training Corps and a member of the medical staff from Headley Court Hospital. They were going to talk about “Help for Hero’s” and how the school may be able to help. Captain Nkoya Wright is from the Royal Army Medical Corps, she is based at Headley Court Hospital , and is a physiotherapist. She talked to the assembly about the service men and women whom had sustained severe physical injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan, anything from gunshot wounds to being caught in an explosion from enemy fire and from improvised explosive devices (road side bombs).

Headley Court has one aim: to help servicemen and women rejoin their unit and get back to work as quickly as possible. Nkoya also spoke about the equipment that they were  using and needed at the hospital, one of them being the Hand Bike.

 

This is a tremendous help to the blokes, and it gives them a lot of independence and get’s them out and about.

Rob Cleeter from the Air Training Corps  also spoke about the “Fun Day” and what would be happening over the week end of the 28/29th May, he also told Mallory and Sharman house that Chichester and Johnson said they would raise the most money. I think he was trying to boost the competitive spirit a bit.  More details of the Air Cadets can be found at www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/ and at www.surreywing.org/ .

Pam Whittingham, and myself Peter Nightingale were there to give moral support and also to talk to the assembly on the following day. The response from the students was great.

The Deputy Head Master then spoke to the assemblies and proposed that they may like to design a poster for the Fun Day and weekend, there would be a competition, the winning entrant (‘s) would have their poster professionally printed and displayed around the local area for all to know what was happening over this week and where the funds and our support were going. He also reiterated how the students could use the “Leadership Initiative” to organise and run an event that may raise funds for this cause and the “Lily Foundation”.

A very big thank you to the school, it was a real privilege to be allowed to attend the school assemblies and to meet the students, whose behaviour was impeccable. We feel very lucky that our local secondary school want to work with us, for these extremely worthwhile causes. The students that approached us, including Faith Newcombe, Hannah Robinson and Sophie Lewis, have been enthusiastic, friendly and seem very committed, already showing great Leadership skills.

We are very lucky and happy to be in partnership with Warlingham School, raising money for these wonderful causes, and that we look forward to working with the students in the future.

To visit Warlingham School website, please click here.


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