Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
All together for Big Lunch School event is a big success
Airdrie Academy held its first ever “Big Lunch” event – and it’s fair to say guests ate up the fantastic hospitality on offer.
The afternoon of “friendship and fun” launched with a warm welcome from health and food technology pupils before top class entertainment was provided by the performing arts department ahead of a delicious meal.
The inaugural gathering was organised by the school’s charity team who saw this as an opportunity to “reach out into the neighbourhood and help build friendships”.
Pupils helped to decide who to send invites to and more than 100 people were in attendance.
There were representatives from organisations including other Monklands schools, sheltered housing complexes, Police Scotland, Citizens advice bureau, community learning and development, Bartlett’s, supermarkets Asda and Morrisons and the Bell Decorating group.
The school’s chaplains, janitorial and cleaning staff and parents’ and pupils’ councils were joined by special guests Airdrie MP Neil Gray and North Lanarkshire Provost Jean Jones.
As well as strengthening links with the community, the “Big Lunch” also saw the school raise £ 375 for its chosen charities: HOPE for Autism, UNICEF and Cancer Research UK.
An Ai rdr i e Academy spokesperson said: “The school would like to say a huge thank you to Brakes, Campbell’s Prime Meat Ltd, Fergusons of Airdrie, George Carruthers & Sons and Marks and Spencer for partnering with us and providing ingredients for the lunch.
“We are also very grateful to the parent council for its financial support and decorating the assembly hall for the event.
“Our first Big Lunch was a massive success and everyone involved had a wonderful afternoon of friendship and fun.”