In the run up to Christmas students from Whitworth Park Academy launched their annual campaign, for the fourth year, to restock foodbanks for local communities.
Five year groups took part in a race to fill up a household wheelie bin, with year nine bringing in the most amount of food winning a hot chocolate treat for everyone. We helped the students create a digital flyer to encourage friends and family to support and donate to the worthy cause.
In addition to the five wheelie bins, together with Mears Group, we donated an additional £1,500 to top up the academy’s collection. Employees also collected six shopping trolleys full of food.
All food donations were split between Shildon Alive, Junction 7 in Newton Aycliffe, Leisure centre in Ferryhill, Cornforth Partnership, St Aidan’s Church in Chilton, and St Paul’s Centre in Spennymoor.
Graham Darby, director of housing and communities said: “The rising cost of living has meant foodbanks continue to be a vital lifeline for many of our tenants and residents. Each year we are touched by the combined efforts of our partners to increase the scale of the support we can offer.”
Stuart Dixon, Whitworth Park headteacher said "Our children at Whitworth Park Academy have their local community at the heart of their thoughts and actions as we head towards Christmas. I am incredibly proud of the way in which they have pulled together and organised our collection to support those in need in Spennymoor and the surrounding areas. This is especially important at times of real hardship and difficulty for so many people. We hope that our contribution will enable a number of individuals and their families to come together and experience what Christmas is really all about.”
Pictured: left to right (top row) Eva Blaney, Nikki Trotter, Evie-Mae Lumley, Eden Copinger, Indie Wheeler, Sophia Hockaday, Mr Fletcher (Pastoral Lead), Louise Miller (Livin Futures Adviser), Helen Johnson (Livin Futures Manager), Lisa Newman ( Livin Futures Advisor), Maya Myers, Ava Lane, Dayna Eddy, Cody Wilson and Miss Napier (Humanities Teacher). Left to right (bottom row)
Hanan Ghazal, Graham Darby (Director of Housing and Communities), Stuart Dixon (Head Teacher, Whitworth Park Academy), Olivia Lewis and Tabitha Daley.