Community Work
Clean and Green Project 2022
In partnership with Manchester City Council's Neighbourhood team we took part in a 'Clean and Green' project in a large, gated courtyard/alleyway between two rows of houses in Withington.
Lockdown meant that some residents had nowhere to sit outdoors, and they advised council staff that this affected their mental health. There were several residents attempting to be proactive participants in keeping the area looking good, but they did not have enough finances to do this.
The Neighbourhood officer for Old Moat spoke to the residents, which showed that there was an appetite for beautifying the alleyways behind both streets, and in clearing and planting in the small areas of ground inside.
There have been problems with fly tipping , drug use, litter and homeless residents using the area as a public toilet. This project beautified the area, so the council is hopeful that it will be looked after and cared for by the residents to discourage this type of antisocial behaviour. This will also encourage residents to try growing their own food in line with the 'Carbon reduction' agenda and 'Grow your Own'. The residents now have a nice area to sit and socialise together and this will assist in improving the mental health for residents after the Covid epidemic. If they have the equivalent of a shared garden, this will improve community cohesion as well as making the streets a more pleasant place to be.
Aims: To make the area more attractive to local residents to ensure social cohesion and to improve their mental health.
This will benefit the local residents.
Background: WGS had already been working closely with the neighbourhood officers as part of the Environmental Youth Group. The Head of PSHCE approached the neighbourhood officers and asked if there was a project our pupils could get involved with on our annual Citizenship Day and they suggested this Clean and Green project. With the support of the neighbourhood officers, we applied for a NIF Grant (Neighbourhood Investment Funding) to cover the costs involved with the project.
Resources: 4 members of staff and 17 Year 9 pupils volunteered for 4 hours on Friday 10th June, during the annual Citizenship Day. Prior to this, the Head of PSHCE and Head of Eco-Society had met with the Neighbourhood officer on a number of occasions to visit the site and discuss the NIF grant.
The costs of the project were covered by the NIF grant.
We would be interested in working with the neighbourhood officers on future projects.
Impact: The residents expressed their appreciation of our efforts. We will be in touch with the neighbourhood officer to see if beautifying the area has improved social cohesion.
Pupil Involvement: 17 Year 9 pupils
Frequency: This particular project was a one off project but we look forward to working with the neighbourhood officers on other projects.
WithGambia
Withington Girls’ School raises money annually to support a number of community projects in the Gambia, most significantly the Mama Tamba School which Withington has supported since 2007. There is an annual trip for a team from Upper Sixth to witness these projects in action and support them on the ground.
Resources: Members of Withington’s teaching staff coordinate the Gambia project, and attend weekly meetings with the Upper Sixth Form team to help organise fundraisers throughout the academic year. They plan the annual trip and accompany the girls to the Gambia during the last week of the Autumn term.
Impact: The WithGambia project’s main focus is the Mama Tamba School in Illiassa. The 2017 Gambia team raised money to fund the construction of a borehole giving the village and school its own independent supply of fresh, clean water.
WithGambia also pays the salaries of the teachers at Mama Tamba, so that the children can attend the school free of charge.
Pupil Involvement: The 2017 WithGambia team consisted of 13 Upper Sixth form students. The girls were responsible for fundraising for the trip, and raised over £6,000 in total. They raised this through various activities including organizing a meal for over 50 guests, a Promise Auction, tombolas, cake sales as well as gaining sponsorship for taking part in the Manchester Colour Run.
The team spent time in the Gambia doing arts and crafts with the children at the Mama Tamba school, and the artists in the group painted bright, colourful murals on the classroom walls.
Frequency: The annual trip during the last week of the Autumn term has been running since 2004, and will continue for the foreseeable future. Fundraising begins a year in advance of each trip.
The Uganda Project
Every year a team of Withington girls fundraise and collect donations for community projects in Uganda, before visiting these projects themselves during the annual trip held in the October half-term.
Background: Withington’s former Head of History kickstarted the Uganda Project in February 2014, from links with ex-pupils in the country. One of these ex-pupils had established the Small Steps Foundation, which was responsible for building the Glory Be nursery school and the Special Needs section attached to it. This is the main project that Withington supports in Uganda.
The Withington Uganda team also raise money for the NGO ‘Get Involved with African Street Children’ (GI ASCO). This began as a drop-in day centre for homeless street children in Jinja, but has now become a residential home for 23 boys who are also receiving full time education.
Resources: The 2018 team was accompanied by three members of Withington’s staff.
Pupil Involvement: The 2018 team consisted of 14 girls from the Upper Sixth Form. They organise fundraisers throughout the year, including a Fashion Show, cake sales, a ‘roll a coin’ event, sponsored runs, and a sale of Uganda clothes and souvenirs at Withington’s Summer Fair. The team raised £10,000 in total, £3,000 more than their target.
Frequency: The Uganda project has run annually since 2014 and will continue for the foreseeable future. The annual trip lasts 10 days. Fundraising begins a year in advance of each trip.
World Challenge Expedition
A team of Withington pupils and staff took part in an expedition to Sri Lanka, run by ‘World Challenge’.
Background: All Lower Sixth pupils are given the opportunity to go on a World Challenge Expedition. The most recent expedition took place place in July/August 2017 when 15 Sixth Formers travelled to Sri Lanka for three weeks. Every trip includes a period of time spent doing community work, which the team fundraises for in advance.
Resources: Two members of Withington’s teaching staff accompanied the girls on the 2017 trip to Sri Lanka. They helped organise fundraisers for the trip, took part in a training weekend, and accompanied the girls on the three-week long trip over the Summer Holiday.
Impact: The team built an extension on a maternity ward and repaved a school’s playground with the funds they had raised.
There were over 500 people living in the area where this work was done, and all will have benefited from the improvements made.
Pupil Involvement: The 2017 team consisted of 15 girls from the Upper Sixth Form. Each pupil had to raise £3,000 for the trip, which they did through fundraising activities and sponsorship.
They were also responsible for organising and carrying out various community projects whilst in Sri Lanka.
Frequency: The World Challenge expedition runs annually. A trip to Kenya is planned for 2019.
Brownies and Rainbows Science Events
Withington hosted Science Events for local Brownie and Rainbow groups.
Resources: The events were planned and prepared by Withington’s Head of Science and the School’s Physics Technician. The Brownie Science Evening was delivered by the Head of Science alongside the Assistant Head and a member of the Biology Department.
Withington’s state-of-the-art science laboratories were used for the events, which allowed the Brownies and Rainbows to watch more advanced scientific experiments.
Impact: The Brownie Science Evening allowed 51 girls to obtain their Science Badge. The Rainbow Science Night allowed 16 children aged between four and seven to learn more about science.
The expertise and enthusiasm of Withington staff, combined with Withington’s advanced facilities, created an exciting and dynamic experience of science for the groups.
The sessions also allowed the group leaders to gain ideas for new science-based activities they could run in their regular weekly sessions.
Frequency: Each Science Night lasted an hour and a half.
Senior Citizens' Christmas Party December 2023
Christmas came early to Withington this year, when on the 6th December Withington hosted its annual Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party. The evening saw over 150 senior citizens from the local community come into school for a to enjoy a music concert, a catered tea party and each guest received a gift at the end of the evening. All transport to the event, if required, the food and the gifts are organised and funded by Withington Girls' School. Funds are raised via various fundraising events in school. Food is donated and baked by members of the school community and served by the girls and staff. Gifts are also collected by the school community so that every member of the audience returns home with a gift.
Staff and students enjoyed preparing the food, making a range of delicious sandwiches and festive themed cakes. Musical performances kept the guests entertained, with contributions from the senior choir, the staff choir, the ‘Rat Pack’ and senior orchestra. And students and staff were also on hand to welcome our guests, serve them food and chat to them throughout the evening.
Withington’s Director of Music and organiser of this event, Mrs Gilly Sargent, who has led rehearsals praised all involved for their effort and commitment.
It is always a pleasure to hear from our guests after the event and to appreciate what the concert means to them. Guests have been in touch with their thanks for the evening. “Wow! Another wonderful evening well spent at the WGS Christmas Tea Party; it just gets better and better!” said two of our returning guests. Also, a local community group that brings a number of its members said:
“Thank you to everyone involved in making last week's Christmas Tea Party such a memorable and enjoyable occasion; an enormous amount of hard work and preparation will have been involved, but, as always, everyone was given a very warm welcome and it was a real delight to have been present”.
£400 was raised during the event from a raffle and additional gifts and food were donated to The Booth Centre and Emmeline’s Panty.
Carol Service at St Ann's, Manchester with Wood Street Mission
Withington Girls' School has enjoyed a long partnership with Wood Street Mission and hold a service with readings and music at St Ann's church in central Manchester every December. The money collected at the end of the service goes to Wood Street Mission.
Aims:
1. To continue to develop our partnership with Wood Street Mission.
2. To raise funds for Wood Street Mission.
3. To increase self-awareness and self-esteem in pupils through music and involvement in a community event.
4. To be able to perform in a historical building in Manchester City Centre.
5. To bring the school and the wider community together at this service.
Background: The school has held this service at St Ann's for over 16 years and has always supported Wood Street Mission through it.
Impact: Funds raised at the service are given directly to Wood Street Mission.
Through this service, Withington Girls' School choir was asked to be part of the 150th anniversary of Wood Street Mission held at Manchester Cathedral.
Pupil Involvement: The choir and readers consist of about 40 girls aged between 14-18.
Frequency: Annual event.
