STUDENTS are giving up their Friday afternoons to do charity work from gardening to washing cars.

About 120 students from the Independent Jewish Day School in Hendon are giving up their time during six Fridays across the summer term to get involved in their community.

Teacher Laura Fraser said the school coined the charity afternoons as “Big Heroes: 6”, taking the time out to give water to the homeless, making sandwiches for a local homeless shelter and visiting an old age home.

She said: “I love seeing their enthusiasm already. Schools are already brilliant at donating to charity but the students get to meet the people themselves that they are helping.”

“These activities are all really beneficial to the community and the students have been blown away by the generosity of the public.”

Students are also learning survival skills and teamwork in nearby woodland areas with the activities named after Big Hero 6 film characters.

The time devoted to charity work on Friday was inspired by the school staff wanting to ensure their students were using their time as effectively as possible.

The school has also organised visits from organisations to talk to the students about social justice projects happening across the community.

Ms Fraser said the students had made school bags as part of the “Send My Friend to School” campaign that encourages politicians to ensure children across the world have access to a primary school education.

She said: “By getting to meet the people their activities impact, the activities have become more memorable and more meaningful for the students.”

“It’s such a natural and organic way to get involved in the community.”

While the inaugural program is yet to be completed, Ms Fraser said the school was already hoping to expand it in September.

She said: “We want to make this happen again next year with even more activities and hopefully even getting the years one and two involved as well.”