Staff Community Day
The whole staff body take part in an afternoon of volunteering in the community once a year. Working with around 15 organisations or charities in the Bristol area.
Some staff members also volunteer regularly with local organisations throughout the year.
Background
Some examples of voluntering include:
Community Children’s Centre Support
A number of Bristol Grammar School staff visit the camp once a year (over the past three years) to provide support to the Society’s volunteers, carrying out maintance on the grounds in preparation for the spring / summer group visits.
Horfield Community Orchard Support
A number of Bristol Grammar School staff once a year have visited the Organic Community Orchard (over the past three years) carrying out gardening work; preparing the garden beds for the planting of fruit bushes and removing thorns and weeds from their overgrown beds.
Annual River Clean Up
BGS Staff annually visit the banks of the river Avon clearing up rubbish and tidal debris.
St Luke's Church
BGS staff volunteer at St Luke’s Barton Hill Church annually helping them to sort and spring clean their kitchen, food storage and crafts/games cupboard. St Luke’s Lunch in Barton Hill has been running for 7 years providing meals in the school holidays for low income families. Recently it has expanded to running a food bank and after school session.
Bristol Youth Offenders
A member of staff has been working with the Bristol Youth Offending Team as an appropriate Adult for children under 17 or people who are mentally vulnerable and have been detained by the police for interviews. 16 hours on average a term.
Changing Lives & Andrews House Mentoring
A member of staff at BGS provides 1:1 mentoring, goal-setting and practical support at Changing Lives, Clevedon for local people with addiction/vulnerable housing situations/trauma etc. 28 hours of mentoring per term.
Barton Camp Volunteering
BGS staff annually visit Barton Camp Children’s Centre to provide an afternoon of support to the Society’s unpaid volunteers, in preparation for spring / summer group visits.
Resources
Over 200 BGS Staff.
BGS sports, Performing Arts Facilities and Failand.
Impact
Approx 1000 people would have benefited across all organisations/charties.
62% of the organisations said: "BGS staff have provided a useful service to our community on INSET".
70% of the organisations said: "The BGS community is stronger as a result of volunteering / service to the wider Bristol community on INSET".
62% said "I feel that the BGS community can have a positive influence on our local community".
Feedback:
'The forest school leader (Mike Welti) said we had done an excellent job and that it would have taken them weeks and lots of money to complete what we achieved this afternoon. The preschool teacher said she was delighted with us resurfacing forest school in the preschool area as it now means she will be able to use the forest school area again.'
'Engaging science experiments that pupils could be involved with Opportunity to have visitors in the classroom and offer our pupils new experiences Hopefully a chance to develop further relationships'
'Really helpful in helping us to tidy, clean and sort making it a safer and more welcoming place for local families. It was also great timing as all my volunteers for the after school session were unwell and so without the support of the BGS staff we would have had to cancel.'
'"That sorrel patch looks amaziiiiiing!! Thanks so much for coming today and doing some pretty damn good weeding! Please say thanks to your colleagues too." - Ms Lamborde-Bruillet
'From the charity's point of view the help received is immense. We can now go back to families with options for them to enjoy days out to spend very important time together at times when it's very difficult to be able to think what to do. This will have a big impact on those families and in particular the children affected within them. We're very grateful to the BGS staff who volunteered and brought wonderful energy, enthusiasm and ideas to the afternoon. Special thanks to Lois for her organisational skills and ongoing support in making it happen.'
'We gave singalong performances of several songs in the Atrium area of the BRI Heart Institute. The impression of those around us in the waiting room and cafe areas was that they were enjoying this - and in some cases, they recorded us on their phones or joined in singing. We had informal feedback by two or three of them who came up to us to say that they liked the music - including their performance coordinator and the parents of a BGS pupil who works there. This also helped us to gel as a staff group, with several of us saying that we want to repeat something similar. We discussed possible refinements, such as having a more defined set-list, but also value the spontaneity of the type of music-making which we did.'
'Really pleased with BGS' contribution. All crates were cleared by BGS which made a difference to them. Happy to have BGS staff back'
'Brilliant to welcome back a keen team of BGS staff volunteers. Impressive bramble bashing! It's amazing to see the pond again, and to have reopened access to areas of the orchard that became very overgrown during the Covid-years. Many thanks to everyone!'
'The group painted our 2 outside sheds and painting the floor of the Boys changing room and Toilets. The group were really happy with what they did and enjoyed doing it, they can come back again and paint more.'
Frequency
This program has been running for multiple years. Once a year, 2-4 hours each year.