Vulnerable families are supported by school’s festive food bank

STAFF at a Mickleover school have been delivering emergency food parcels to pupils’ families who are struggling financially in the run up to Christmas.

The PRIDE Response Team was set up at Murray Park Community School during the first lockdown when staff and friends of the school collected donations of non-perishable food, toiletries and household items to distribute to needy or vulnerable families.

The team has regrouped for Christmas and staff have delivered emergency food parcels personally to pupils and their parents to ensure no one goes without essentials this festive season.

And they are appealing for further donations of non-perishable goods such as pasta and tins, nappies and sanitary products and household items such as laundry powder and washing up liquid so they can continue the service whenever the school is closed for school holidays.

Teacher Jan Woolley was moved to set up the PRIDE team, which stands for Providing and Resourcing the Immediate Delivery of Essentials, after concerns from staff that some families were suffering hardship during the pandemic. 

Miss Woolley said: “Our school motto is Pride and every member of staff at Murray Park tries to go above and beyond to ensure the absolute best for our children.

“We are well aware that 2020 has been a difficult time for many of our families and just because we are not open over Christmas doesn’t mean that we forget our school family.

 “While some of our pupils come from disadvantaged homes there are also some families who have never been in this situation before. Perhaps because they are not able to work or have been made unexpectedly redundant.

“We encourage all our pupils to think of others and it’s important for staff to set the right example, so this is one way of doing so.”

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