Zane to hand out festive hampers to
ORGANISES FAB YULETIDE TREAT
FUNDRAISING hero and free school meals champion Zane Powles is organising a special festive treat for more than 250 families in need.
After a challenging year in which many faced uncertainty about getting food on the table to feed their children, Mr Powles has teamed up with local businesses to make sure they get a special Christmas meal.
Eighteen businesses responded to Mr Powles’ call for help and the man himself has ploughed a significant sum of his own money into organising the Christmas hampers for families eligible for free schools meals and those otherwise in need.
Mr Powles said: “The companies involved have been so, so generous, it has been inspiring.
“I rang around a few butchers to get prices for some of the meat that is included in the hamper, one of them just stopped me and donated a huge amount for free.
“It is incredible to see people still coming together and helping each other when times are tough.”
The hampers will consist of a turkey crown, pigs in blankets, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy granules, Yorkshire puddings, potatoes, carrots, sprouts, Christmas pudding, mince pies, a tin of sweets, cartons of soup and some hand sanitiser.
The companies involved donated materials and funds to the effort and
Mr Powles is also calling on the help of the children at Western Primary School who will send a personal message or picture with each hamper.
Mr Powles, who is assistant head at Western Primary, is planning to distribute the hampers at the end of the school term on December 18 and 19 with donations proving so generous he has been able to provide hamper to parents at other local schools as well. Mr Powles said: “From when I started delivering meals over the summer, I think the pandemic has brought everyone in the community together and people are so nice when you give them the chance to be.
“We’re all small cogs in a big machine and if we all turn in the same direction then we’ll be in a much better place.” Zane spent his summer holidays cycling to all the major castles in the UK, starting and finishing at Ross Castle in Cleethorpes on a gruelling 1,300 mile sponsored bike ride to raise money for Family links Around Grimsby and Meals and More charity which provides support for children during school holidays.
Earlier this year, Zane was also awarded an MBE after walking five miles every day to deliver free school meals to the children that attend his school.
Fittingly it was announced this week that Docks Beers has released a special beer called ‘Miracle Worker’, which honours the Grimsby teacher for all of his hard work through the coronavirus pandemic.