University College Plymouth St Mark & St John

Student Volunteering Week was started in 2001 originally to coincide with International Year of Volunteers. It has now become an annual fixture in the student volunteering movement as well as the wider voluntary sector.

The week is a chance to raise the national profile of student volunteers by promoting and celebrating local student groups. Around the country universities and colleges put on special events and volunteering projects to reward current volunteers and recruit new ones!

UCP Marjon was no exception, the Student Volunteering Co-ordinator organised a week long programme of activities that any student could get involved in. If you would like to know more about how to get involved with volunteering for your local Plymouth community please contact us in the first instance.

Below is a summary of the activities that UCP Marjon students got involved in during Student Volunteering Week.

Student Volunteering Week 2010

Students join forces with the National Trust at Wembury to help with scrub clearance work using bowsaws, loppers, bullhooks and other tools to make clear vegetative space for native birds. The students got stuck in with the task in hand stopping for the occasional break to enjoy beautiful views over Wembury Bay. Much of the waste vegetation was piled up to make a small bonfire, which also provided a perfect oven for lunchtime jacket potatoes.  Scrub clearance is essential for birds to breed and local ponies to graze, to ensure that our wildlife is being protected. 

Student's desire to help clean up is a shore thing
Student volunteers from UCP Marjon made an early start on collecting rubbish from two of Plymouth's beaches which overlook Plymouth Sound. Over thirty student volunteers from UCP Marjon took part in the first of a series of beach clean-ups at Mount Batten beach in February. Held in partnership with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) and with students from University of Plymouth and City College Plymouth also getting involved, the day was part of the Marine Conservation Society’s ‘Adopt A Beach’ scheme.

The students spent the afternoon removing litter and generally improving the environment for visitors and wildlife alike, they also recorded their findings to assist the Marine Conservation Society’s monitoring process. Larissa Milden, Youth Volunteer Advisor for BTCV said “It’s great to see that so many of Plymouth’s students recognise the benefits of being proactive in activities such as beach cleans. It’s important to preserve our beautiful coastline and make people aware of the issues surrounding the marine litter that gets swept ashore.”

Eyes down for a full house!

Spending time with the older generation of Plymouth Age Concern is always fun, especially over a game of BINGO! With prizes donated by our Marjon volunteers it was 'eyes down for a full house'. With prizes for every line and full house the residents at Age Concern had a lovely afternoon over tea with cake and biscuits. This type of activity is great for students who don't have contact with the older generation or have grandparents back home. Spending a few hours at Age Concern really meant a great deal to many of the residents, whom are often living on their own and heavily rely on PAC to get out and about.

Shoreline Shine - 26/06/08 
Activity: Beach Clean at Mount Batten and Jennycliffe in conjunction with Plymouth City Council and Business in the Community.
Student volunteers from UCP Marjon made an early start on collecting rubbish from two of Plymouth's beaches which overlook Plymouth Sound. The group of students worked on cleaning the beaches and surrounding grassland therefore swapping their day of study to gain some practical hands on experience was well as doing something for their local community.
It was a brilliant opportunity fo student to engage with their local community and be proactive in conservation volunteering . It was important for the students to fully understand the impact that the rubbish collected has on the area. The students volunteered to take part in the day and therefore wanted to be proactive in conserving their local coastline.
UCP Marjon managed to get some media coverage as ITV Westcounty were interested in the students enthusiasm for this type of activity. To view the footage through realplayer please use the link below. 
 

ITV Westcountry footage of UCP Marjon Beach Clean 26/02/08

Age Concern Tea Party - 27/02/08
Activity: UCP Marjon students hosted a tea party for local residents of Plymouth Age Concern
Everyone knows students love a party - but in this case it was an old folks' tea party.
As part of student volunteering week, 36 members of Plymouth Age Concern's day centre were invited to an afternoon tea party at UCP Marjon.
Students served them with cakes and cuppas and the elderly guests enjoyed tunes provided by resident pianist Keith Phillips.
Karen Turvey, a youth and community student, said "I live away from my parents and grandparents and it's really nice to share stories with people of my grandparents' generation. It's been great fun and it's nice to volunteer and give something back to the community."

Building Bridges - 28/02/08
Activity: Student volunteers worked alongside BTCV building pathways and a bridge for local residents to enjoy Kinterbury Creek, Barne Barton, Plymouth.
Kinterbury Creek has been an overgrown area of Barne Barton which finally has received a make over so that local residents can once again enjoy the creekside walks and views over the reeded marshland which attracts a vast variety of natural habitats. UCP Marjon Students took to the challenge to assist with building a wooden bridge over the creek and making a disabled viewing platform for the community to enjoy. The day was physically hard work with lots of digging and transporting of loaded wheelbarrows.
This activity was just one in a number of initiatives that BTCV get involved in and UCP Marjon volunteers seem to love volunteering their time for the various conservation projects throughout Plymouth and the surrounding area. 

Big Clean Up Day - 01/03/08
Activity: Joint activity with University of Plymouth to clean up Freedom Fields Park and the Mutley/Greenbank area.
UCP student volunteers came together on Saturday 1st March to help clean up two areas of Plymouth which are occupied mainly by student accommodation. The idea of the exercise was to engage with the local community groups in the Mutley/Greenbank area to help clean up their act. Students and local residents came together to help litter pick surrounding areas of Freedom Fields Park. This event is the second in it's kind and there will be a celebratory party in May to encourage local residents and students to keep up the good work and be educated in refuse collections, recycling and general conservation.