Walking for Water: Southborough High School Eco Club’s Scenic Charity Trek

At Southborough High School, the Eco Club is far more than just an extracurricular activity; it is a vibrant, mixed-year group hub where environmental stewardship and community action collide. By empowering students to take charge of their future through hands-on projects, the club instils vital values of ecological responsibility, waste reduction, and biodiversity conservation. Beyond the green agenda, it serves as a training ground for leadership, teamwork, and the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate a changing world.

A Mission for Global Change

Last Friday, the club’s Year 7 to 9 members put their mission into motion, swapping the classroom for the great outdoors. They embarked on a special sponsored walk to raise much-needed funds for WaterAid, an international non-profit organisation that remains very close to the students' hearts.

WaterAid is dedicated exclusively to providing clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene (WASH) to the world’s poorest communities. Their goal is simple yet transformative: to improve global health, education, and livelihoods by ensuring that everyone, everywhere, has access to these three essentials. Inspired by this cause, the Southborough boys were determined to make every mile count.

Nature and Reflection Along the Thames

As luck would have it, Friday proved to be a glorious ‘good weather’ day, allowing the students to gain the maximum benefit from their 3.2-mile trek. The route was chosen with care, stretching from Sunbury-on-Thames to Canbury Gardens in Kingston. Much of the journey – which included Bushy Park as well - followed scenic river pathways, offering stunning views of the Thames’ banks and the magnificent residential gardens that overlook the water.

The walk was as much an educational field trip as it was a fundraiser. Students were seen identifying various species of riverbank wildlife and spotting interesting plants—many of which were noted down as inspiration for future purchases for the school’s own courtyard garden. The air was filled with excitement as the boys captured nature photos, their passion for the environment and the WaterAid cause evident in every step.

The journey also included moments of quiet reflection. In Sunbury, the group made a special, touching detour to visit a memorial dedicated to the family of one of the students. It was a poignant reminder of the personal connections that bind the school community together.

Crossing the Finish Line

The walk concluded at the beautiful Canbury Gardens in Kingston. Interestingly, despite living locally, several students had never visited this riverside gem before, making the arrival all the more rewarding.

While the 3.2-mile journey is complete, the Eco Club’s fundraising efforts are only just beginning. The students are eager to raise as much money as possible for WaterAid and have already set their sights on their next venture: a charity bake sale to boost the total even further.

Southborough High School is immensely proud of the Eco Team. They represent the very best of our school’s spirit—combining a love for the natural world with a selfless drive to help those in need.

Support the Cause If you would like to support our Eco Team in their mission to provide clean water and hygiene to those who need it most, you can donate to their WaterAid fundraiser via the link below. Every contribution makes a world of difference.

Link to support  the WaterAid fundraiser