Walking with the Wounded a special party at MK College
Students at MK College are making ambitious Christmas plans to bring festive cheer to wounded ex-service people, and local families.
Fifty local children and their families will be cooked a traditional festive lunch to remember on Christmas Eve at the college’s Chaffron Way campus.
The MK College Big Family Christmas (BFC) has been organised by the MK Satellite Rotary Club.
Not only is the College hosting the event but staff will be cooking the traditional Christmas meal, and there will also be a disco.
College staff and families are being enlisted to help at the event, while students are making Christmas cakes and the MK Food bank will be providing each family with goodies to take home. Each child will also get a personalised Christmas present.
Tash Darling, Satellite’s youth officer says, “Christmas can be a really difficult time for some families, or can mark the end to a tough year, for many reasons. We want these families to know that their community cares about them.
“The BFC is an opportunity to show that at this special time of year but to also build relationships which will enable support to continue as and when it is needed in the future. MK College is being spectacularly generous by letting us hold the BFC here.
“Their staff are instrumental to the success of this project and the students who will make all the Christmas cakes can be assured they have made a real difference to real people this Christmas time. For many of the guests, this will mean a Christmas they could not have thought possible this year.”
College Principal, Dr Julie Mills says, “At Milton Keynes College we offer students the chance to learn not only how to perform well at work but also what it’s like to be at work.
“Everything we do relating to helping others at Christmas also has a learning element to it. It’s just wonderful when students can give something back to their community at the same time as getting real life work experience.”
Meanwhile, a horde of Santas have braved the weather to make the trek between the College’s Bletchley and Chaffron Way campuses. Public Services students and staff took to the streets in aid of Walking with the Wounded (WWTW).
The charity helps injured former British Armed Forces servicemen and women in their career transition from military to civilian life. Over the past seven years WWTW has helped numerous former soldiers, sailors and airmen into work at a point in their lives when it seemed as if the physical and mental sacrifice made for their country might stop them ever having a job again. The walkers collected £221.60 at the two campuses and along the route between in support of this noble cause.
One of the walkers, Luke Graham, is studying for a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Public Services. He said, “It felt good for the College to get involved in this important Public Service charity and we’re delighted to have raised lots of money.”