Posted on 11/09/2014
This week, Royal Holloway welcomed more than 70 representatives from charities and community groups to campus for the University’s second bi-annual Community Partners’ Conference.
Welcomed by Professor Paul Layzell, Principal of Royal Holloway, the delegates filled the Boilerhouse for an afternoon of discussions and themed workshops on subjects including recruiting and recognising volunteers, Students’ Union opportunities and how projects can benefit both volunteers and organisations.
Professor Justin Champion, from the Department of History, also gave a keynote speech about how Royal Holloway will be working with community groups next year to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, which was signed in 1215 down the road from the University’s Egham campus in Runnymede.
Englefield Green Youth Centre, Age UK Runnymede and Spelthorne, the Windsor Homeless Project and Surrey Youth Focus were among the network of organisations that Royal Holloway’s Community Action volunteers work with who attended on Monday 8 September. Guests also viewed exhibits by student radio station Insanity FM and VInspired during the event, which was supported by Voluntary Support North Surrey.
Phil Simcock, Community Action Volunteer Manager, said: “It was fantastic to meet with so many people involved with volunteering and to demonstrate how much we value the network of groups that we work with, as they play a vital role in helping our students make a real difference to the lives of local people.
“The event was a unique opportunity within the voluntary sector to come together, to share best practice and develop new ideas and ways to better serve our communities. It was an inspiring day and a great way to nurture our partnerships as we plan exciting volunteering projects for the new academic year!”
Royal Holloway’s Community Action volunteering programme celebrated its 10th anniversary last year and has more than 2,000 volunteers and 200 community partners. During the last year alone, student volunteers carried out more than 5,000 hours of work in the local area.