LESSONS ON COMMUNITY
LOURDES Secondary School has been going above and beyond during the coronavirus outbreak to support students and local families.
Teachers, staff and parents at the South Side high school have been helping to hand-deliver packs of food and activities to around 150 families.
The idea came even before lockdown began, with the parent council working quickly to help out.
A teacher at the school, Kathleen McBride, said: “Before the lockdown happened, and it looked likely that we were going to have to shut, we thought about the fact that we had quite a few young carers in the school who care for disabled family members and were in a vulnerable position.
“We told the parent council and they were able to put together aid in such a short time to help these pupils and families out.”
The school worked in conjunction with FARE, an Easterhouse-based non-profit, to help fill 70 packs initially with food during a time of panic-buying in the shops.
“You really couldn’t get enough food in the shops with the amount of panic buying that was happening,” Kathleen said.
“FARE did a tremendous job in helping us to fill the packs, and with them being based in Easterhouse, it was nice to see services and communities mobilise across the city.”
Starting in mid-March, the scheme has now grown to help 150 families, with teachers and staff safely delivering straight to front doors.
Kathleen said: “There was just such a willingness to go and help and the response from the kids gives everyone a sense to keep going.”
The school is also making sure that the pupils and families are supported mentally throughout the lockdown, emphasising the school’s “Love, teach, care” ethos.
The teacher added: “Packs have activities like recipe cards for the children to get involved with cooking and gardening.
“Teaching them about nature is about teaching them to look after something, and to reach children in that way and maintain contact from afar is so important.”
The school also had help from groups such as Indigo, Strathclyde Law Society, Our Lady of Lourdes Church and Hideaway Cafe in Castlemilk.
Kathleen explained: “They do a
Christmas dinner for around 200 homeless people at the cafe every year and the kids help to make up parcels for that.
“The cafe helped us in return with pre-prepared meals for the packs that can be heated up.
“I think it really shows the kids how important community is – one of the biggest lessons for everyone is that when we work together, we can all achieve so much.”