Pupils from two Surrey Heath schools were the first to take part in Rotary’s new
Junior Community Award Scheme. Full story HERE.
They received their Awards from HM Lord Lieutenant of
Surrey and Deputy Mayor of Surrey Heath at a formal ceremony in the Council
Chambers on the 18th June 2025. Over 60 children, parents and invited guests were
present at which was a very enjoyable event where what the children had achieved was
celebrated. Each child received both a certificate and Community champ badge.
The children now aged 11 years old are pupils of Cordwalles School and St Augustine’s
School. They all successfully completed the challenging year long, community
engagement scheme and are now preparing to move on to Senior schools.
The purpose of the award is to give young people at the beginning of their adolescence the
opportunity to involve themselves in a positive way in their community whilst acquiring new skills
and abilities to benefit both themselves and others around them.
Guided by their schools the children became involved in many local Community activities, took up
new Physical activities, encountered at least 3 new Social Experiences and acquired new Skills.
The year long award is non-competitive and open to all children in yr 6. Teachers can encourage
pupils who will most benefit from the programme to take part which can include children with
additional needs and disabilities, physical emotional and social. Each child has their own special
Award Diary to plan in and then record when they did the experience, and is encouraged to record
in some way eg in a scrapbook or with showing examples of their work photos, models etc. As this
is an award for all it is the doing that is important not the standard of the written work.
‘We have been delighted with the feedback about the Award from both teachers, pupils and
parents’ , commented Anne Summers of the Rotary Club of Camberley. ‘This year has been the
pilot for the scheme which we are now rolling out across our Rotary South’s District. We are
indebted to both schools for the level of cooperation and enthusiasm for the scheme. ’.
Parent Laura Goss said ‘My daughter has thoroughly enjoyed her journey, completing this project,
and attaining new life skills. I really hope it’s well received and is rolled out across the UK as it’s
been something many people have been surprised, intrigued, interested and impressed by! Thank
you for giving our daughter this wonderful opportunity!’
The programme is already being taken up by 20 other schools across Rotary south and
beyond, starting in Sept.
Camberley Rotary club would be delighted to hear from other clubs who feel this would be an
award which would be welcomed by their local schools. It runs from September to June. The
materials are all tailor made and available for the award. In Australia where this award started it
has been running for over 25 yrs with thousands of students having greatly benefited from it
