Many Abingdon students arrive each morning from fairly distant villages and some of our boarders come from far-flung countries, so to them Abingdon is just a town where their school is situated. It’s important that they get to meet people who live in the town, so Abingdon School does not seem just an isolated world in its own bubble. Our students have the opportunity to visit the local hospital, residential homes, primary schools and charity shops. Not only can they take pride in helping the local community, they also learn about residents’ lives and British culture.
Four students who have been participating in the Community Service programme have described their experiences:
Visiting the elderly was an exciting and enjoyable activity for me. By visiting the home, we had an insightful view into the interesting lives of the elderly people and by helping them I felt as though I was giving back to the community. A key thing I enjoyed was playing dominoes, because it was a competitive and fun activity for people of ages, and I really enjoyed it.
Sam Inskip
I have enjoyed visiting the elderly as it was very fun and interesting. Usually, I played dominoes with some of the residents. Looking back, this experience has given me a new look at the way elderly people live their lives. I will always remember going to the Old Station House as a joyous occasion.
Angus Carle
I enjoyed visiting the elderly because it provided me with an insight into the lives of older people. Old station house is a lively home, buzzing with energy and the competitive spirit of Tony at dominoes and Doreen and Mona with the quiz. It is a really useful activity for life and social skills as caring for the elderly is a vital part of our lives.
Tom Whetter
Visiting the elderly was an exciting experience because it offered me the rare opportunity to socialise with older people and talk about their past as well as provide them with company. I most of all enjoyed when we did the quizzes as I broadened my understanding of past political events.
Joshua Mensah
