Justin Tomlinson MP this week caught up with the New College young citizens as they took their ideas about helping their community to the next stage.
The students are taking part in National Citizen Service, and having spent a week at PGL Liddington, they are now back at New College planning how they aim to help community groups.
One team have joined up with the Swindon Foodbank to plan a number of food drop sessions at supermarkets across Swindon. The Foodbank relies on the kind donations of shoppers to keep its doors open and store room full of food to help local people in need. They are also organising a fundraising night at Riffs Bar, with talented young musicians performing from across Swindon. The Foodbank costs £53,000 a year to run, and such fundraisers are crucial to the support it provides. The group chose the Foodbank as it is a local charity and gives back to the local community.
The other team are organising a sponsored sleep out at New College to raise money for the local Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU). 10% of Swindon babies end up in SCBU after birth, around 350 a year, where they receive specialist care. The smallest baby that they have helped survive weighed just 490g at birth. It costs £24,000 a year to run each bed in the Unit, so all local fundraising efforts are hugely welcomed by the staff who run it, and the families who find themselves in need of its care.
Aside from speaking to the students about their plans, Justin also spoke to them about the role of an MP and answered some of their questions, from changes to tuition fees to our role in Afghanistan.
Justin Tomlinson MP said “I am hugely impressed by the plans the students have to help their local community. National Citizen Service is a fantastic opportunity for young people to improve their confidence, skills and experience, putting them at a real advantage when it comes to applying for jobs. The teams from New College have really got stuck in, and I am confident their fundraising projects will be a huge success.”