The Aurora Group | Special Needs & Disability (SEND) Schools

The Rev’d Angus Mayhew, rector of the Knowlton Circle Benefice, which includes the parish church of St Mary and St Bartholomew, welcomed the event in Cranborne Village Hall saying it provided a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together.

Organising the event were students from Aurora Boveridge College, a specialist further education college for young adults with autism spectrum conditions and social, emotional and mental health needs. The college provides 16-to-25-year-olds the opportunity to learn and develop skills to prepare them for the world of work.

The Rev’d Angus said: “The remoteness of villages such as Cranborne means that residents are, inevitably, more reliant on each other than, say, people living in towns or cities. Such reliance helps create a wonderful community spirit.

“By providing delicious nourishment to the community, free of charge, the Boveridge College students are helping enrich this spirit. It’s been very much welcomed by all those who have come along.”

The college’s assistant head, Odette Osborne, said the lunches were part of a broader initiative – to be rolled out in the autumn - that would see students engaging more fully in the community.

She said: “The idea for the lunches came about because we needed to give our catering students experience working in a food-related environment, performing tasks such as dishing up, front-of-house, preparing meals and cooking.

“So popular are the lunches that we’re now looking to involve non-catering students because we feel they help build confidence. For some of our young adults, such experiences put them outside of their comfort zone which ultimately can help develop their social and communication skills.”

Student George said: “I loved doing the community lunch, especially taking the orders and setting out the food. I’ve learned that cooperation is key when putting on events like this and I can't wait until the next one.”

"I loved doing the community lunch, especially taking the orders and setting out the food." George, student. 

Odette said as well as running catering courses, the college teaches IT and horticulture.

“We’re really keen to involve our students in more community-based activities, such as helping people with their shopping. Likewise, our IT students could assist setting up emails, that sort of thing. Getting more involved is good for our students and good for the community – it’s one of those win-win situations.”

Boveridge College Principal Lloyd Richards said he was immensely proud of his students and the dedicated staff who support them.

He added: “Their commitment to inclusion and community spirit shines through in initiatives like this, where students and staff come together to prepare and serve meals for our local community. This project not only nurtures valuable life skills, employability skills and confidence in our students but also strengthens our bonds with the wider community - demonstrating the power of kindness, collaboration, and shared purpose.”