At the end of the Michaelmas Term, Mr Sansom visited The Mathieson Mission School (MMS) in Kolkata, with whom the School has built a relationship over recent years to help support their aim of providing sponsored education to under-privileged children in Kolkata, who might not otherwise have access to any education.

Formed in 1994 and formerly known as the Mathieson Music School, this registered UK charity was founded by international cellist Anup Biswas with the aim of providing the education and opportunities afforded to him when he attended an orphanage school in Kolkata run by Father Mathieson.

Since 1994, MMS has hosted students from a variety of UK schools who have visited and volunteered at the school. In recent years, some Fifth Form students from SVS have gone to MMS for two weeks after the completion of their GCSE examinations to volunteer as teaching assistants – many of whom have spoken of the life-changing experience of working with these children and spending time in such a fascinating city.

It is our hope to start sending Fifth Students back to the School in July 2023 and we are delighted that a group of students have approached Mr Sansom to do this next year. In preparation for this, Mr Sansom is visiting the school to see how the new school building is developing, where our students would stay, meet MMS staff and explore with Anup how the volunteer programme can best operate.

He has found it a humbling experience to meet the children at the school and has been bowled over by the dedication shown by the staff and their ambition for the future of the school and the children who attend it in order to raise them out of poverty. There is an exciting and valuable partnership to foster with MMS and anyone interested in volunteering at the School in 2023 or 2024 should speak to Mr Sansom.

More details about the School and the Trust can be found here.