As part of PQShield’s very generous Giving Back initiative, each employee is offered one day a year to volunteer and make a positive difference in their community. This year, I had the absolute pleasure of spending my volunteering day with my sister Alison Walmsley, who is Assistant Head at The Willow Primary School and Learning Lead at Broadwaters Children’s Centre, part of the Broadwaters Inclusive Learning Community (BILC) in Tottenham.
BILC is a truly inspiring place – it brings together a mainstream primary school, a special school for children with autism and other additional needs, and a children’s centre offering outreach services and day care. The team there, led by my sister, work tirelessly to serve a diverse and vibrant community on Broadwater Farm.
Like many schools, the Willow Primary School and Broadwater’s Children’s Centre face the on-going challenge of very limited budgets, and rely on community fundraising to provide enriching experiences for their pupils. This year, they hosted a Community Fireworks Event at The Willow Primary School — an evening packed with family fun, games, food, fireworks….and even an LED dancing robot!
I first got involved by helping Alison and her team with the marketing and promotion for the event. My lovely colleague Andy Spencer (who once lived in Tottenham himself) kindly gave his time to design a bright, eye-catching poster, and we shared it across local community pages to help spread the word.
On the day, I joined the team to help sell tickets, assisting with setup in the afternoon, and running the doughnut stall! It was fantastic to see the local community come together – families laughing, children wide-eyed with excitement, many of whom have never been lucky enough to see fireworks before, and everyone enjoying a safe and unforgettable evening.
The event was a HUGE success with over 2,000 tickets sold and £4034 raised (truly amazing!). The funds will make such a real difference to the school and its families. But more than that, it was a reminder of how powerful community spirit can be, particularly in the less privileged areas in London, such as this.
I left feeling proud – not only of the team for their hard work and warmth, but also of PQShield for encouraging us all to take time out of our day-to-day work to give something back. Supporting a cause that directly benefits children and families felt particularly rewarding for me.
A huge thank you to my sister Alison, who continues to make a real impact to the school and learning community as a whole – every school needs an Alison (but then I am biased I guess!).