With the cost-of-living crisis in the UK affecting one in 10 families, Toot Hill School in Bingham – which is part of the Nova Education Trust – has been involved in a special reverse Christmas advent calendar for a second year in succession.
The concept sees those taking part giving instead of receiving, helping those less fortunate than themselves. The goods collected by Toot Hill have been donated to a local foodbank in time for Christmas.
Amelia Hall, Head of PE at Toot Hill, organised the event this year and after the 24 days of collecting and the overwhelming support and generosity of students and staff, the school donated much-needed essentials to Meadows Foodbank.
She said: “We challenged individual tutor groups to bring in items every day for 24 days such as tinned food, non-perishables, or toiletries.
“The other PE staff and I – Katie, Una, Olivia, Olly, and Matthew – filled five car boots of donated items.
“We smashed last year’s total of 477 kilos of food and we are incredibly proud of everyone that took part.”
Mark, a volunteer at the foodbank, said: “Thank you so much for the fantastic support the pupils and staff of Toot Hill have given the Meadows Foodbank. The most recent delivery weighed in at nearly 600 kilos.
“Each week this year we have been giving out approximately 500 kilos of food, which goes towards feeding approximately 74 adults and children.
“As such, the generous contribution has already guaranteed food for us for well over a week.”
The Trussell Trust has a list of urgently, most and always-needed items. Visit their website at www.trusselltrust.org.