NHVS Action Groups
New Hall Voluntary Service – Action Groups
From the age of about 13, students are invited to join NHVS Action Groups which are appropriate to their age, to give them the opportunity to experience one-to-one contact with those in need in the community. They continue to build strong relationships with those whom they serve. Once they are in Year 12, many of these same students volunteer to become leaders of the Action Groups.
At New Hall School, we hope that this involvement will lead our students to want to remain in voluntary work throughout their adult lives. Parents and other adults support the activities of the Action Groups in many ways and for that we are extremely grateful. For the groups listed below that require the students to leave the school premises, the students are taken to and from their destination in cars or minibuses driven by volunteer drivers. The drivers take great care to ensure the students’ safety. All the drivers are closely vetted by the school.
Viva is responsible for visiting elderly people in their own homes. Visiting takes place after school at 4.15pm. The students are taken in pairs and all of the people they visit are well known to us. These people, who are often isolated and lonely, always look forward to talking with them. The students are returned to New Hall School at about 5.30pm. In addition to the regular visits, we invite the elderly people to tea parties every term, and occasionally a picnic or other outing is arranged for them all.
Shaftesbury is a lively group that meets at New Hall every Tuesday evening from 7.30-9.00pm. You play games and spend time chatting to adults with learning difficulties. This is a very rewarding group.
These three cheery groups provide lunches at New Hall School for many disadvantaged people in the community, in particular the elderly. The students help to serve the lunches, prepare and clear the tables, but most importantly they sit down to share a meal and to chat with the guests.
Woodlands is a large enthusiastic group which visits Woodlands School, a school for children with special needs. The students visit on Thursday lunch times spending time with the children, playing or talking, or helping staff as necessary.
The NHVS RDA meets weekly on Saturday mornings at Rawreth Equestrian Training Centre to provide horse riding for disabled people. The students lead horses or walk alongside the horses, and after the ride they have tea and coffee with the disabled riders and their families.
Saturday Club meets once a week on Saturday mornings to look after children who are recommended to us by Social Services and who come from homes which are often stressed and overcrowded. The children are given the opportunity to ride bicycles and enjoy the beautiful wide open spaces of New Hall, and to join in activities such as tennis, football, computer games and painting.
Every year, since its foundation over 25 years ago, NHVS organises a holiday for disadvantaged children from the poorer areas of London and, more recently, from a school in Chelmsford. Twenty five children, aged between 6 and 8, have the opportunity to spend the week at New Hall looked after on a one-to-one basis by New Hall students. The holiday takes place during the first week of the students’ summer holiday and the students work completely voluntarily. A small group of team leaders, made up mainly of former pupils from New Hall School, run the holiday, during which many exciting activities and outings are arranged for these disadvantaged children. The visiting children benefit from use of New Hall boarding facilities, sports facilities and amenities throughout the campus.
NHVS “Friends” (Visitors) - 100+
Members (Students) from year 8 – 13 - 250+
Leaders (Year 12 students ) 35 +
Adult supporters (volunteers from outside school) - 35+
School staff (excluding tutors who have a day to day involvement) - 5
Drivers (volunteers) - 10
