As a Character Development Coach I strive to encourage my students to take part in school projects, and do what they can to better the community and have a ‘mind to be kind’. And I am always blown away by their kindness, dedication and hard work.

Sixth-form students Karan Shah and Niteesh Tapre are participating in the National Citizen Service (NCS), where they have to do a social action project in some way which will help the local community. They chose to help the charity ‘New Hope’.

NewHope is one of the largest providers of homelessness services in the Home Counties, housing up to 60 people every night and supporting hundreds more every year.

Karan and Niteesh asked each CDC to help by donating shoe boxes with non-perishable items inside such as: Clothes, Sanitary items, canned items etc.

7 Elm and I immediately started compiling a list of items we could fill our shoe box with, and I set the class the challenge of either bringing in an item, or making their own shoe box. By the end of the week, the class not only managed to make one box together,
but a total of 16 boxes all full of items.

Watching 7 Elm feel inspired and committed to helping this charity was a delight. The generosity and determination of my CDC has totally blown me away. They worked together as a class to do something kind and thoughtful, and they went above and beyond.

Everything donated will be going to the new hope charity to help homeless people in Watford. New Hope helps as many homeless people as they can. This charity has restored some people’s lives by helping them overcome homelessness and help find jobs for them or they offer
a place to stay the night if needed.

Well done to Karan and Niteesh for their project, and to everyone in the school who helped contribute in some way.