Willink donation is a record-breaker
School provides foodbank with its biggest contribution yet
A WEST Berkshire school has dressed up and donated to help people in need, beating the record for the West Berks Foodbank’s biggest single collection, writes Year 8 Willink pupil Joshua.
The Willink School recently donated 557.8kg, about twice the weight of a large motorcycle, of food to the foodbank.
The pupils from the Burghfield Common school dressed up as traffic cones, clowns and even a dinosaur.
Rosie Ginn from the West Berks Foodbank said the donation was “a wonderful thing to have done”, and added: “You have provided for the clients in our community.”
Some of the 1,171 products donated included shampoo and instant coffee and the donation was the largest West Berks Foodbank has collected in a single pick-up.
The Willink assistant headteacher Innes Ballantyne said he was exceptionally proud of the generous and hard-working pupils at the school.
He said: “We were thrilled that our students and their families responded so positively to the call for donations.
“In previous years students have brought gifts for our Christmas fair and money to different charities.
“This year, because the Christmas fair was cancelled, students brought donations for the West Berks Foodbank.
“We were overwhelmed by the generosity in our school community
and delighted that we beat the record for the biggest single collection.”
Ms Ginn added: “The Willink has really excelled itself with its Harvest Festival collection for West Berks Foodbank.
“Your donations have been weighed and totalled 557.8kg. This is huge and equates to 1,171 meals that you have provided for the clients in our community. What a wonderful thing to have done.
“Can you please pass on our sincere
thanks and gratitude to everyone involved – it is very much appreciated. ”
The West Berks Foodbank is part of The Trussell Trust’s network of 428 foodbanks across the UK, working to tackle food poverty.
Almost one in five people in the UK now live in poverty due to changes in circumstances.
If you would like help, contact the West Berks Foodbank by emailing info@westberks.foodbank.org.uk or calling (01635) 813390.