The government ‘lockdown’ at the end of March to try to keep us safe and slow the spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus now seems to be working. However the hardship it’s causing has resulted in several new community initiatives here in Ruddington to help those who’re most in need.
The latest of these is the St Peter’s Junior School Foodbank – which has been set up just this week to support families from both Ruddington schools who are finding it difficult to feed themselves due to a loss of income. Some residents may be surprised to hear such a facility is necessary in our relatively affluent village, but Deputy Head Ian Mawer says: “There’s a need all over the country. Different communities have different quantities and levels of deprivation. Many families will be feeling the pinch more than others – and that is also true of some of our families in Ruddington.”
It seems the firm idea of a dedicated parents’ food bank began only on Monday – when a very generous, but anonymous, benefactor took over 25 food parcels into St Peter’s: “They requested that they be delivered to the families who school felt would benefit from it the most” explains Mr Mawer. “Another parent asked if they could help financially. The concept of helping others had been well and truly sown so I thought there must be further people from this great community who might like to also offer some support. Let’s set up a food bank and a JustGiving page and run them alongside each other. Lots of staff are eager to help.”
On Tuesday, the school received further food donations – mainly from families of past and present pupils responding to an online appeal – with Ian Mawer there to receive them alongside school administration assistant Clare Clydesdale and catering manager Jane Hilton {top photo}.
The mooted JustGiving page was set up by the Friends of St Peter’s and instantly attracted a flood of financial donations! It can be found HERE:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/st-peters-junior-school
As of Friday morning (1st May 2020) it’s just a few pounds short of its initial £1000 target. St Peter’s is now working in collaboration with James Peacock Infant and Nursery School (JPS) to find different ways of raising funds. Their assistant head teacher Sally Squires has already suggested some kind of Olympic challenge – so watch this space!
JPS Head Teacher, Richard Waldron, tells RUDDINGTON.info: “The idea for the food bank was brought to my attention through a colleague at my school who became aware that this initiative was underway at St Peters Junior School. Recognising its value to those most in need with our community of Ruddington we made contact with St Peters and we agreed to join forces – and the Ruddington Food Bank JustGiving page has now been shared with our parents.”
Both schools have specific criteria which help them to decide who the priority families are, with school leaders assessing their needs on a case by case basis. It’s estimated around fifty families in Ruddington will benefit from the food bank.
Further food donations are being invited by the school, at Ashworth Avenue, every Tuesday and Friday between 10am and 2pm. The food bank is still in need of:
pasta
rice
cooking sauces
tinned tomatoes
tinned fruit
tinned tuna
breakfast cereal cars
tea
coffee
squash
fruit juice
UHT milk
general toiletries
Mr Mawer thanks everyone for their support so far, and adds: “Once we feel sufficient food, essential items and funding have been collected, a ‘socially distancing army’ of staff helpers will organise what we have, purchase additional products using the JustGiving contributions and then deliver to the families. A solution to this difficult situation is going to take time, so many of our families will be in need of repeated support. Our initial target is £1000 but that figure along with regular food donations may need repeating every fortnight.”
{Top photo by Lee Farrell}
