From clay pits to classrooms: 102 students participate in biggest Community Day yet

IN THE THICKET OF IT... Students gave their time and talent in record numbers across a myriad of projects

A record 102 sixth-formers from Colfe's School spent 18 June cleaning a greenhouse, clearing Victorian graves, painting park railings, building flower planters and supporting schools and local charities across Lewisham. In one day they gave more than 600 hours of work to nine local organisations.

It was the fourth Colfe's Brun Bear Foundation Community Day, and the biggest yet. The students, aged 16 or 17, chose their own placements from a range that spanned gardening, conservation, working with children or the hands-on jobs that small charities rarely have time to finish.

Conservation and Community

Sydenham Garden: At Sydenham Garden, a therapeutic horticulture project that supports people with mental health issues, volunteers took on the demanding task of cleaning the site's large greenhouse, inside and out, in the considerable heat of the day. Site manager Steve Prowse described the students as "a pleasure to work with," praising them as "well organised, enthusiastic and very keen," and noted that the team tackled a job "many of the people who attend Sydenham Garden would not have been able to take on." Student George, who lives locally, said it is "always good to give back to the community," adding that the tucked-away garden was "such a nice place... quiet and lovely." Willow and Fabie, cleaning the greenhouse glass, found it "really rewarding" to see the results of their work. Mr Prowse confirmed the placement was straightforward to arrange and praised the "great support from both The Brun Bear Foundation and the teaching staff."

Volunteers took on the demanding task of cleaning the site's large greenhouse, inside and out, in the considerable heat of the day

Wild Cat Wilderness: At this community green space in Catford, a team of around fifteen students supported an ambitious project centred on soil. Volunteers dug clay from the site's clay pit, material later used in children's craft activities, while others prepared for a major soil-themed exhibition and open day, including pieces of buried calico stitched together to represent local soil quality and markers to be hidden across Lewisham for the public to find. Organiser Maria Devereaux reported that the students "got a lot of work done across our large site in the garden, orchard, paths cleared and wood cut for a project." As one student observed, it was certainly "not your average Thursday!"

Students used clay that fellow students had tug to create crafts for children's activities at an upcoming open day

Nunhead Cemetery: Volunteers at this historic 52-acre Victorian cemetery focused on clearing overgrown bramble and ivy to expose monuments, while others helped take down and log a tree that had fallen across a path. The work restores visibility to monuments dating back to 1841 and improves the experience for the many recreational visitors to the site. Elsie, who is studying psychology, photography and business with hopes of reading business at university, said she volunteered because "it's fair to give to people who can't be here." Henrietta chose the cemetery because she "thought it would be the most therapeutic one to do," while Victoria said it was simply "nice to give back to the community and get involved."

Students restores visibility to monuments dating back to 1841. One said she volunteered because "it's fair to give to people who can't be here"

Lewisham Park: A team of eight students spent the day painting railings alongside staff from Glendale Grounds Management, who supplied the materials and guidance. The group made visible improvements to the park drawing praise from locals as they worked.

Educational and Community Support

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School: Sixth-form students supported classes from Nursery to Year 6 with a wide range of activities, including Father's Day crafts, academic interventions, a philosophy class, playground games and lunchtime support, as well as building flower planters and a planter box from scratch. Teacher Jasmine Brooks praised the volunteers as "polite, enthusiastic, and fantastic role models," adding that the children and staff "thoroughly enjoyed working with them" and that they would be "welcome to come back again."

St Winifred's Catholic Primary School: Volunteers worked across the school, with some supporting the Reception class and others clearing an overgrown area of the playground to make it usable for outdoor learning once more. Reception teacher Julia Murphy described her two students as "both brilliant," noting that they "engaged with the children, took initiative, played, talked and were great role models." Colleague Michelle Carey praised her "lovely" volunteers as "polite, eager and engaged," adding that they "made a real difference to our school" and that the children would "be so excited to see their new learning area."

Signal Family Support: At this small charity, two students helped with essential administrative work, including creating flyers and leaflets. These are tasks that the charity's Chantelle Turner noted are "quite time consuming for small charities." She described the pair as "polite" and genuinely "interested in the charity and organisation," reflecting that the day was "such a great thing and we are really happy to be a part."

5 Steps Nursery and Greenacres Primary School also welcomed student volunteers, extending the day's reach further into the educational life of the borough.

Students supported local schools through classroom assistance, early years engagement, playground supervision, hands-on construction of planters, and the restoration of outdoor learning spaces

Impact and Future Outlook

The fourth Community Day once again proved its value on two fronts: delivering tangible improvements for local organisations while offering students a meaningful experience of service beyond the classroom. Participating organisations were unanimous in their praise, and every site said they would welcome the chance to take part again.

With four successful years now behind it, the Colfe's Brun Bear Foundation Community Day has firmly established itself as an annual fixture in Lewisham. Both Colfe's School and The Brun Bear Foundation remain committed to expanding opportunities for meaningful student engagement with local community. The aim is to foster civic responsibility while delivering lasting benefits to the local community.

The next Community Day is scheduled for Thursday 17 June 2027. Charities interested in participating should email team@brunbearfoundation.com