Just before Christmas second year Health and Social Care students at Exeter College launched Community Give Back, an initiative aimed to give something back to the local community, through the power of goodwill.

The students highlighted key areas they would like to support and decided on three that they felt were the most beneficial to the local community. These include helping the homeless, the elderly and sick children.

To help the homeless in Exeter the students collected coats, sleeping bags and blankets from staff, students and family members at Exeter College. They were delivered to BCHA who provide supported accommodation for homeless people in the local area at Gabriel House. Angela Kingshott, Coordinator at Gabriel house said:

On behalf of BCHA Gabriel House, we would like to thank you and all those that supported you collecting all the donations. We appreciate all the hard work involved not only collecting but sorting too. This kind gesture has gone far into helping many people in need to keep warm this winter.”

A second group collected books to donate to Royal Devon and Exeter’s Bramble Ward, a children’s ward. The students wrote letters to local shops asking if they would kindly donate books. The response was overwhelming receiving donations from companies such as Boots, Waterstone’s, John Lewis and Books & More in Exmouth. These donations of brand new books were also supported by second hand books donated, which were checked and cleaned and have been split between Bramble Ward and the Children’s Hospice charity shop. They were delivered with sweet treats from Marks and Spencer.

Finally they focused on helping the elderly and devised the idea of ‘Mince Pies and Company’. The students approached local branches of supermarket chain Tesco and Sainsbury’s and they each donated 100 mince pies. The students delivered them by hand to various residential homes and spent time talking to the residents.

Grace Parker, Programme Leader said: This is just the start of what I hope will be a really lovely project for the year. The students recognise how important community give back is and are so excited and enthusiastic about each of the projects.”