School_Matters_Issue_35

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#IPSPARTNERSHIPS Scrubbery update

#IPSPARTNERSHIPS IPS presents cheque to Rackets Cubed charity We are grateful for the generosity of IPS parents who donated their lockdown-related fees rebate to Rackets Cubed. Indeed, this fine idea originated from a small group of parents who wished to see the money used for people struggling with food poverty. Throughout the pandemic, IPS parents have been enthusiastic in their regular donations of food items to food boxes, which Rackets Cubed continued to assemble at nearby Heathmere Primary School, in support of over 200 local families. This additional donation allowed work to start on a new permanent food bank, operating from Focus Hall on the Alton Estate. This food bank is run by the Trussell Trust. As a school, we are very excited to continue to build links with both Rackets Cubed and the wider Roehampton Community Response network led by Mr Jonathan Palma.

Newsletter regulars may remember reading an article during Autumn Term last year about the amazing work of Mrs Rosie Taylor-Davies and the remarkable charity called The Scrubbery she founded in 2020. Through her determination, along with countless hours of industry and perseverance working in adapted former squash courts at the Bank of England Sports Centre, she came to the rescue of hundreds of NHS

staff running short of scrubs during the pandemic. She and her volunteer team have spent months stitching and shipping scrubs items to hospitals up and down the land. The Scrubbery has seen over 26,000 scrubs items reach London hospitals alone. We are pleased to report that IPS donated a sewing machine to the project. There was also a major collection drive organised for old bedding items such as duvets, sheets, and pillowcases all of which could be recycled and put to good use as scrubs and other items. Our new donations box near First Porch was delighted to receive all the contributions. We thank all those pupils, parents and staff who contributed to this collection. Our LVIs, who have been volunteering at The Scrubbery since last autumn, made thank you cards for gift packs to doctors which Rosie and her team assembled for dispatch. Doctors and nurses who had been dealing with coronavirus on the front line for a year were at last able to see a fall in levels of the virus to those not witnessed since September 2020 and deserved thanks and recognition for all their hard work. Well done to the LVI involved in this effort. #IPSPARTNERSHIPS Alton Estate Community Clean-up

The Headmaster presents a cheque from IPS to Mr Jonathan Palma and Mr Michael Hill of Rackets Cubed for £3.946

wellbeing. Getting involved is easy and gratifying and making it a competition with your friends to fill more bags adds an element of fun too (we filled seven huge bin bags to the brim). It goes without saying that it could not have been possible without Ms Combe who organised the outing and, more importantly, bought us some life-saving ice creams! Claudia Murray-Cors, UVI

the thanks from people walking by made collecting bottles, plastic bags, nappies and half a dead bird worth it! On a more serious note, littering is sadly still so common and people often underestimate how beneficial a clean environment is for a community’s

On one of the hottest days of the year, an enthusiastic team of IPS pupils took our litter pickers in hand and rose to the challenge of cleaning up our local community around the Alton Estate. Such events are extremely fulfilling and hearing