Brighton College children abandoned their studies for the day on Wednesday to spread the love around the Sussex area.

As part of the Eastern Road school’s annual Make A Difference Day, hundreds of 11 to 18 year olds fanned out across the county to perform helpful jobs within the community, from helping out at toddlers’ clubs to fishing out the pond weed in Queen’s Park.

This is the seventh year that the children of the College have downed tools for the day along with their teachers to try and make small differences to peoples’ lives.

The day forms a pivotal part in the school’s burgeoning community programme which sees many pupils helping out or making visits across Brighton each week.

Children weeded and scrubbed the streets of Kemp Town, litter-picked on Brighton beach, helped out in local care homes, worked with adults who have learning difficulties and physical disabilities, gardened and painted at local schools and spruced up churches.

Brighton College deputy Head Steve Marshall-Taylor said: “Make a Difference Day is all about encouraging every pupil here to be outward-looking and to understand that they can make a difference to the people and world around them now, without having to wait until they are older. Almost always, they return having gained at least as much as they have given.”

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