City College Plymouth has joined an exciting national initiative aimed at supporting communities and has raised a staggering £14,000 towards the cause.
In a bid to prioritise health and wellbeing for students, alongside developing good values and essential skills, the College has delved head-first into fundraising for this worthy cause.
Through online and local fundraising, alongside grants from Plymouth City Council, City College Plymouth was able to raise more than £14,000 and used the funds to purchase a large freezer for the Aid Redistribution Centre (ARC).
With this, the ARC is now able to store frozen items for redistribution to various groups supporting those who are facing hardship in the community.
With foodbanks facing high demand, City College Plymouth’s contribution, as part of the Good for ME Good for FE campaign, will ensure that local residents continue to have access to food for themselves and their families.
The Good for ME Good for FE campaign aims to generate £1 million of social value with more than 100 colleges signed-up to generate 100,000 volunteering hours and donate 20,000 food items.
The visitors’ pod that was built and decorated by students as part of a community volunteering project
The College, which has recently presented its vision for the next 10 years in an ambitious strategic plan, is focused on improving the health and wellbeing of students, staff, and beyond.
Keen to nurture and empower current and future students, raising money for the ARC through this campaign struck the College as the perfect way to help the local community whilst enabling students to feel an improved sense of wellbeing by contributing to the project.
After identifying the strong link between volunteering and improved mental health, students and staff of the College will be encouraged to get involved by undertaking voluntary and fundraising activities and will be supported by the College throughout their contributing efforts.
Alongside this, participating students and staff will also have the opportunity to boost their confidence and employability skills through involvement in community projects, building on the College’s goals for both curriculum and opportunities.
Director of Student Experience, Bob Hunter, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this exciting and important initiative. Working in partnership with colleges around the country means that we can have a really positive impact on both our own communities and those further afield.
“Colleges play a vital role as anchor institutions, which goes way beyond just education. Generating social value is key to helping our communities to prosper, particularly as economies begin to recover post-pandemic.
“Now on its journey to becoming the learning destination of choice, City College hopes to have a lasting, positive impact on the community. The opportunities being offered to students through this initiative mean we will not only support their mental health and self-esteem, but provide them with learning experiences that exceed expectations and establish relationships in the wider community.”
For more information about the campaign and how you can help, visit the website here.
