New Hall School has expanded its award-winning New Hall Voluntary Service (NHVS), launching ten new Action Groups. In 2026, the School aims to increase its regular volunteer base to more than 1,000 participants, with every member of the New Hall community encouraged to give their time in service to others.

Founded in 1978, NHVS has been providing support to vulnerable members of the local community for over 45 years. Students, staff and parents volunteer in weekly Action Groups, hosting elderly guests and adults with learning disabilities on site, tutoring local primary school children, and supporting local allotments off site.

The new Action Groups complement NHVS’s established programme of service. Longstanding initiatives continue to thrive, including the Shaftesbury evening group, where local adults, including those with learning or physical difficulties, gather with students for friendship and celebration.

A guest of NHVS, said: “The trip to spend time with the children and other people is a real lifeline for some of our residents. In times when it’s very difficult to find things that are free for the elderly to do, NHVS is refreshing.”

The recent expansion of NHVS follows a challenge set by the Principal, Mrs Katherine Jeffrey, who invited the entire New Hall community, including students, staff, parents, grandparents, guardians and friends, to think afresh about volunteering and to suggest new ways in which the School could respond to local needs.

Mrs Katherine Jeffrey, Principal, said: “At New Hall, we believe that care is shown not only through grand gestures, but in the small, everyday choices we make, through our words, our actions, and our attentiveness to others. NHVS is a jewel in New Hall’s crown, reflecting the heart of our School community and the values we hold dear. Since its inception, NHVS has remained steadfast in its commitment to serving the needs of our local community, embodying the values of compassion, empathy, and inclusion. With this exciting expansion, we can reach yet further and continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around us.”

Students have played a central role in shaping the expansion, with student focus groups helping the NHVS Team to identify new Action Groups. Four new groups launched in the Lent Term, including a Gardening Club, fostering intergenerational friendship and environmental care; a weekly dance class for elderly members of the community; regular litter-picking in the local community; and a Men’s Mental Health Football group, providing space for conversation and wellbeing through sport.

A further six groups will be rolled out over the year, including an art exhibition at a local hospital which aims to bring creativity and encouragement into a healthcare setting. A hospital reading trolley initiative will also be introduced, alongside the preparation and distribution of hospital gift bags. Other new initiatives include welcoming children from Lift Columbus and Tanglewood Nursery School to New Hall for enrichment days in music, drama, sport and art; singing for those who are sick or nearing the end of life; and the launch of a termly NHVS and Charity newsletter to share positive stories and to inspire continued involvement.