Scholars take part in Day of Service

  • May 12, 2026
Scholars take part in Day of Service

Scholars and Alumni took part in a revitalised Day of Service on Saturday

This revitalised Day of Service was an opportunity for Scholars to reconnect to the Gates Cambridge mission of improving the lives of others by giving back to the wider Cambridge community, and for our community to engage questions about the meaning of service.

Jane Clarke

Thirty-six Scholars took part in a Day of Service this weekend, reviving an old Gates Cambridge tradition and extending it to alumni.

The Scholars participated in service projects targeting food insecurity, housing insecurity, and environmental degradation.

The day ended with a conversation led by John Dunford [2021]. John works for digital agency Torchbox and helps charities align their digital and tech strategies with their organisational goals to create positive change.

Before Torchbox, he has worked across the charity sector, including at Oxfam, Greenpeace and the Churchill Fellowship. He also helped run a non-profit digital agency supporting hundreds of charities to harness technology for positive impact. 

The organisations Scholars worked with on Saturday were FoodCycle Cambridge, Jimmy’s Shelter, British Heart Foundation locations in Cambridge and Cambourne, Cambridge Community Kitchens and the Cambridge City Council on litter picking. 

Jane Clarke, who coordinated the event, said: “This revitalised Day of Service was an opportunity for Scholars to reconnect to the Gates Cambridge mission of improving the lives of others by giving back to the wider Cambridge community, and for our community to engage questions about the meaning of service.”

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