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Pupils from Rickmansworth School hope to win the GROW hostel in Watford £3,000

A homelessness hostel in Watford could win a £3,000 grant, following a visit from some school pupils.

GROW – Group for the Rootless of Watford – welcomed four Year 9 students from Rickmansworth School yesterday, where they met residents and had a tour of the house in Rickmansworth Road.

The teenagers – Becky White, Tom Riley, Anisa Asghar and George Hall – have chosen GROW for their Youth Philanthropy Initiative project, and will create a presentation about the charity.

If their presentation is chosen as the winner against others in their school year group, GROW will receive a £3,000 donation.

The project is part of the pupils’ Citizenship class work, led by Steve Fry, though Religious Studies teacher Rachel Stone accompanied them to GROW.

During their visit, the 13-year-old pupils met residents at the hostel and asked them questions about life living on the streets and finding new homes and employment.

George said: “We had to think of a charity we wanted to give money to. When we spoke to GROW we decided to do them.

“It looks like a home. I thought it would be a big place like a flat. It’s really nice.”

Tom said: “I walked past before but I never thought of it like this place.”

Anisa added: “We thought if they got £3,000 it would make a really good change. It would be good for homeless people.”

GROW’s secretary/manager David Jamieson, who is known as Jamie, said that if the pupils’ presentation was successful, he would like to treat the residents to outings and meals.

“One thing I would really like to do is take them away for a week’s holiday. That would be absolutely the pinnacle that we have never managed to do here. That would be fantastic.”

Watford Observer interview – Wednesday 11th March 2009
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