At the beginning of November, 21 Richmond upon Thames College (RuTC) level 2 students from a range of subjects took part in the National Citizen Service (NCS) Term Time Programme for 15 to 17 year olds. The programme included a four day residential trip to Devon, where students participated in rock climbing, abseiling, raft building and rafting. These activities helped them to develop team work and communication as well as problem solving skills.

In addition to the residential weekend, the students worked in two teams to support a community social action project. One team raised awareness for the ETNA Community Centre in Twickenham, which serves the people living in East Twickenham and St Margarets, providing them with a place they can meet and pursue a variety of interest. The team collected more than £120, which will go towards ETNA’s project of building a new community kitchen. The other team packed bags in a local Sainsbury’s store and raised over £450 for SPEAR, a local charity supporting people experiencing homelessness in South and West London. Overall, the teams volunteered 125 hours.

The programme concluded with a graduation ceremony on Tuesday 27 November, celebrating the students’ achievements throughout the NCS Term Time Programme.