The year 12 students came together to discuss natural and manmade disasters

Berkhamsted Rotary sponsored an all-day event in June, which saw hundreds of students from Ashlyns and Berkhamsted Schools listen to experts speak about global humanitarian issues.

As Ukrainian refugees are welcomed into the community, the pupils heard from representatives from UNICEF and the UK Foreign Office and Gareth Owen OBE, humanitarian director at Save the Children.

Berkhamsted cancer doctor who battled brain tumour to run London Marathon

Gareth Owen OBE, humanitarian director at Save the Children, speaking with a student.

placeholder image — Gareth Owen OBE, humanitarian director at Save the Children, speaking with a student.

Herts Welcomes Refugees, MapAction, BRAC and ShelterBox also came to the sports hall at Ashlyns School to discuss challenging issues facing the world.

The students considered challenges of conflicts and natural disasters and learnt some of how organisations and governments organise humanitarian responses across the world from medicine and logistics to communications and mapping.

There was an interactive disaster simulation by Harriette Purchas, an international humanitarian engineer and trainer in Potten End.

This conference was the first of its kind at the schools and is something that the Berkhamsted Rotary hopes to hold every year.