Had another visit to East to West for a catchup with Ant Horton their Chief Executive.
They are doing wonderful Relationship Support work in ten schools largely in Surrey improving the life prospects of over 1,300 young people each year. With Ant, visited Mathew Arnold School in Staines and met an inspiring Support worker who is doing so much for so many pupils. Also met the Head Teacher also committed to focussing on each child with the aim of reducing the need for exclusions.
Attended another Youth Engagement Scheme graduation this time at Walton Fire Station for 9 young people who had successfully completed the week’s programme. It is such a brilliant scheme for giving the participants confidence and social and team building skills. It was a pleasure to see their smiling faces as they each received a certificate. They were well supported by very proud families. Thank you to the committed Fire Officers who are the instructors and in particular to Commander Kevin Noble. He has completed 30 year as a Fire Officer but has also been a stalwart of YES from the beginning in 2004 and spoke so movingly about the benefits that he has seen over the years of the scheme for the young people. The High Sheriff Youth Awards is proud to help fund YES.
The Surrey Civilian-Military Partnership Board, chaired by Peter Martin (the Chairman of Surrey County Council) held its annual Armed Forces Covenant Conference at Deepcut Barracks . Really interesting agenda with updates on the work of the SCMPB and a presentation on the National picture of the Armed Forces Covenant. The Covenant is a partnership between the Armed Forces and wider society helping to integrate the Armed Forces with their local communities. This is exactly what is happening in Surrey led by Surrey County Council (Peter Martin and Peter Bruinvels to the fore) with the the Council earning a Gold award as an employer supporting the Covenant in practice. Well done them. @ChairmanSCC @canonbruinvels
Revisited St Joseph’s Specialist School outside Cranleigh. Since my last visit they have had the very good news of an Outstanding Ofsted report. A just measure of the extraordinary commitment of the staff. They are looking after 75 young people (ages 5-19) with complex and severe learning difficulties typically on the Autistic Spectrum. They have a waiting list of over 30 students from around the country with parents from afar planning to move home to be near St Joseph’s. This reflects the reputation of outstanding care that the School has.
Visited the Runnymede Volunteer Police Cadet unit. They marched well in step with an impressive salute on a (poorly) floodlit car park. These young people (13-17) take pride in their uniforms and in what they are doing and learning. All credit to PCSO Paul Woodhouse and two Police colleagues who run this unit in their spare time.
K eep Out the Crime Diversion Scheme is closing because HM Prison and Probation Service has decided to no longer facilitate schemes where young people are brought into prisons. Over 22 years, Keep Out has enabled 30,000 vulnerable young people to have interaction with 900 serving prisoners which has helped the former to learn from the experiences of the latter to their mutual benefit. Today Keep Out arranged a “seminar” to reflect on what had been achieved over 22 years with reports form service users, staff and a Surrey University research project. All inputs that demonstrated what difference Keep Out has made, including I am confident reducing school exclusions.
After my visit to Pennthorpe School the pupils painted pictures of me in my uniform. Now all on display.
Great to make another visit to Chris Hickford at Eikon and receive an update on their latest activities. What they do in schools is so relevant to my interest in pupil exclusions. I am confident the services they and other charities in Surrey provide are making a positive difference to the life prospects of many children in the County.
With the permission of the High Sheriff of West Sussex I crossed the border from Surrey into West Sussex and advanced into West Sussex in full uniform 1,000 yards to visit Pennthorpe School where my two grand children are young pupils. I was invited to talk to early years and years 1 and 2 . Their principal interest was of course my sword which, with due attention to safety, I unsheathed. One young lad suggested the sword would be very useful for spearing a kebab. How could I disagree. I was made very welcome by staff and pupils and of course my grand children!
Invited by HHJ Robert Fraser the senior Judge in Guildford Crown Court to join with him in presenting Bravery awards to five individuals who in the view of the Court had demonstrated extreme bravery in assisting bringing felons to justice. It was a humbling experience to hear the citations read out by Robert Fraser. Villains may be bad and deserve what the justice system imposes but there are some really unsung citizens who make the world such a better place. I met five of them today. Pictured is Dr Edward Yates. Of uncertain age (older than me!) but what a trooper. He had been the victim of a violent robbery in his mobility scooter on a quiet street but had the nouse to note and remember the number plate of the car his attacker dove off in. This let to the latter’s arrest and imprisonment.