Feeding Bristol and Foodbanks

Our sixth form students organise collections for local food charities.

In July 2019, they had an amazing response to their appeal for funds for ‘Feeding Bristol’, a city-wide appeal launched in Bristol to coordinate and distribute food to summer holiday clubs, breakfast clubs, sports groups and out-of-hours school clubs that provide food for thousands of children who were at risk of going without food during the summer holiday period.  Staff at the school also donated £10 of their July salary towards the appeal and the students were able to purchase and deliver 170kg of food and other essential items to the charity.  This was the single largest donation ever received by the charity.

Currently, they are holding regular collections for donations to the North West Bristol Foodbank.  The whole school is invited to donate and the students then deliver them to the Foodbank in a school minibus. They help to sort the donations and then a member of school staff drives them to deliver their donations to the Avonmouth Foodbank. 

Aims

Originally, the aim was to help save many children in Bristol from ‘holiday hunger’ after the Government cut funding for those running summer holiday clubs, breakfast clubs, sports groups and out-of-hours school clubs that provide food for thousands of children who are at risk of going without food during the summer holiday period.  This is now ongoing as the need for Foodbanks continues.

Background

Sixth Form students took the initiative on this.

Resources

The school minibuses were used to deliver the goods to the Charity and also now to the North West Bristol Foodbank in Avonmouth.

Teaching and non-teaching staff are involved.

Impact

‘Feeding Bristol’ said this was the single largest donation ever received.

North West Bristol Foodbank continues to be in need of donations.

One in five children in Bristol receive free school dinners during term time, but when the long five or six week summer holiday arrives, they are in danger of going hungry without that support.

Pupil Involvement

All pupils from 3-18 can donate. Pupils aged 16-18 administer the project.

Frequency

Ongoing.