Feed a family: Students donate two full minibus loads of items
Community-spirited school children have delivered Christmas gifts to two charities helping people facing challenging times.
Pupils from Wolverhampton’s Westcroft School have been busy collecting food and toiletries in support of the Express & Star’s Feed a Family This Christmas campaign.
Members of the school council have been gathering donations from their classmates and their families and this week they made deliveries to The Well and the Good Shepherd, which are both based in the city.
They had so many donations that they had to do two separate runs in a minibus.
First they delivered toiletries, toys, clothes, presents and some of the food to the Good Shepherd.
They then returned to the school to fill up in the minibus again and dropped off the remainder of the food at The Well. It is the fourth year pupils at Westcroft School have supported the appeal.
Class teacher and pupil and family voice coordinator, Carl Bates, said it was “good to be able to do something to support local people that really need support, especially given the impact of Covid on our local communities”.
“I have been absolutely blown away by the response of the whole Westcroft community," he added.
“Part of me thought that, given the impact of Covid, people may not be able to give as generously this year. However, it’s been the opposite and we have probably collected double what we have in previous years. I think that the epidemic has made people even more keen to help others.”
This year, the Express & Star is encouraging those who can afford to do so to consider donating food and toiletries to food banks and other charities helping people in need in our communities.
Food banks across the region has seen demand rise again this year as individuals and families struggle to make ends meet.
Charities are appealing for donations of seasonal treats such as mince pies, chocolates and Christmas puddings, as well as basics including canned meat and vegetables, long-life milk, fruit juice, coffee, breakfast cereals and rice.
If you would like donate food or toiletries, please use charities’ established donation points, listed at expressandstar.com/news/feed-a-family/2021/11/22/how-we-can-all-help-feed-a-family-this-christmas, to ensure items reach their dedicated teams quickly and safely so they can be passed on to those who need them.
