In 2003 Royal Holloway Community Action was formally launched. Initially the team was funded by the "Higher Education Active Community Fund". This fund allowed universities around the country to develop volunteering departments with the goal of developing skills through volunteering. In 2004 Royal Holloway decided to continue funding Community Action, and the Volunteering Team remains mostly funded by Royal Holloway to this day.
Royal Holloway Community Action attend the Egham Royal Show
Community Action Projects win for their projects ‘Coaching refugees and asylum seekers in English' and ‘Reminiscence work with local elders’'
An awards ceremony to celebrate the work of Community Volunteers is held in the Picture Gallery, with external community partners invited.
Community Action moves to a paperless volunteering management system.
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Over 40 students take part in Royal Holloway's first ever Volunteering Week!
The Community Action Student Team is launched!
In 2006, student volunteers helped to paint a local community centre and playground. They also helped to pick up litter around St. Jude's Church
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'On 15th February 2007 Royal Holloway hosted the ‘Life in a Day Exhibition’ with photographer Alistair Morrison. Twenty five Community Action volunteers assisted the RHUL Press Office with the task of stewarding the campus-wide event which was a tremendously successful day'
Project day in the local area
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For Make A Difference Day 2007, volunteers helped to paint a mural, tidy up an allotment and clear invasive trees.
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Student volunteers helped to wash a community transport bus, clear an overgrown garden and paint in a local community building.
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Make A Difference Day 2009 was a huge event for Royal Holloway Community Action, with nine different projects taking place throughout the day. Volunteers helped to clearing local gardens, painting the staff room of a local infant's school. They also helped to renovate a local youth centre and a number of other buildings.
Royal Holloway Volunteers help to run a Christmas meal for elderly people in the local community, offering guests the opportunity to socialise and enjoy the festive season.
'It is a pleasant memory cherish working in the local community and with the amazing people and the award received.'
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'Being a student volunteer ambassador and connecting with other student volunteers was one of the most fulfilling and fun experiences I could have asked for. It developed me and gave me a sense of service and giving back to others that I carry with me to this day!'
'Particular highlights from volunteering with the Men’s Rugby Club included painting a boxing club in Chertsey, cutting down trees in Addlestone, delivering leaflets in Weybridge, and becoming Santa’s helpers and shaking buckets to collect donations on behalf of the Rotary Club in Englefield Green!'
The 2012 Community Action Volunteering Awards is held in the picture gallery.
For Make A Difference Day 2012, Community Action Volunteers painted classrooms in a local primary school, cleared litter in Englefield Green, created a wildlife area and helped to refurbish a community hub.
Royal Holloway Volunteering celebrates it's 10th Anniversary. The art installation 'Human Chemistry' is created and installed. Designed by artist Mary Branson and created by members of the local community, it is inspired by the chemical elements that make up the human body. Volunteers also distributed planters and hanging baskets to 400 homes in the nearby Forest Estate.
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'Volunteering was a huge part of my university experience. It all started when I joined the Make A Difference Day (2013), and from then I became involved in a range of projects such as Love Your Campus / Community (2013-2016), Student Volunteering Week, Magna Carta 800th celebrations in Egham (2015), Peer Guiding (2014), Big Spring Clean, and National Trust projects (2014-2016). I was a member of the Community Action Team in my second and third years, and developed so many skills that have been so useful in my working life! It was an amazing opportunity to work with the team and other volunteering students, and to represent the volunteering opportunities at RHUL University Open Days. A highlight for me was achieving my Gold Passport Award and the third highest points in my final year. Attached picture is from Make A Difference Day 2014 as we launched the National Trust project assisting with tree clearance and maintenance ahead of the Magna Carta anniversary'. (I'm on the left).
In 2013 student volunteers helped to clear planters, paint fences, clear rubbish with Thames21, and tidy a playground at a local school.
A pop-up Shop run by Community Action volunteers opens at The Precinct, Egham High Street. The shop offers a range of workshops that are linked to Community Action projects.
'One of my strongest memories as the Volunteer Coordinator was the Egham Floods. I remember being at the office late finishing some admin work, while I received a message from Phil to check if I am still there. Everyone was unsettled because the river was about to flood and we were watching the news. The inevitable happened that day. Egham was flooded and people were trying to save themselves and whatever they could. Phil asked me to message the President of the American Football club (I think!) and ask him if he can send over members to help carry people, and add sandbags. The response was immediate. There is also a photo of them somewhere in an archive. In the meantime, I prepared an email to be sent to all the societies, clubs and our volunteering pool asking for their help. If I remember well, it was a week or two, where our students helping in Magna Carta School giving sandbags to locals. It’s amazing that even now that I am writing these lines, I am getting goosebumps. Volunteering in Royal Holloway is not just an extracurricular activity, it’s an integrated part of its culture, not only has strong bonds with community but it’s part of the community.'
Severe flooding in Egham led to the creation of the Community Action Response Team.
For the Big Spring Clean 2014, Community Action Volunteers helped to paint sheds at a local school, tided the front garden at Birchlands Care Home, and went litter picking in the local area.
For Student Volunteering Week 2014, Community Action leaders helped to clean cars at the Forest Estate Community Hub in Englefield Green and picked up litter at St Jude's Church. they also helped to plant flowers and clear rubbish at the Hub.
This event was held in the Picture Gallery
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'Helping to set up the Nature Conservation project and spending Wednesday afternoons down at Cooper's Hill was always a highlight, plus there was always tea and biscuits mid-afternoon!'
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Magna Carta heraldic flags project
'I volunteered on the nature conservation project at Cooper's Hill with National Trust, where I coppiced the ash plantation and prepared the site for ecological renewal come spring. I also led a gardening project with children in two local schools and regenerated their outdoor spaces to become places for learning, recreation and wildlife. Both projects were amazing fun and I met so many lovely people while giving something back to the community.'
As part of Student Volunteering Week 2015, Community Action Volunteers helped to paint and clean furniture and buildings in Egham High Street. This was to help the community prepare for the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta in June 2015.
Community Action Volunteers visited local care homes and community centres to help residents and visitors create designs for bunting.
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Royal Holloway Community Action hosts a community celebration on Egham High Street, where guests were given a tour of the work supported and led by Community Action Volunteers. 'Student volunteers have facilitated numerous introduction workshops in schools, colleges, youth centres, and elderly residences to inspire the local community to engage with Magna Carta at this historic time' - Paul Layzell, Principal of Royal Holloway
A completed mosaic inspired by the principals of the Magna Carta is unveiled in Egham High Street to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the document being signed. This mosaic was produced by schools in the local area and was led by Community Action volunteers.
The Heraldic Flags that were created with young people in the community and supported by Community Action Volunteers are displayed at The Great Charter Festival.
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