Hackney students in biggest ever Christmas hamper giveaway

Santa’s helpers: Our Lady’s students collect donations from shoppers. Photograph: OLCHS

Students from Our Lady’s Convent last week handed out nearly 200 festive food hampers to vulnerable people across Hackney.

More than 150 sixth formers gave up their time to deliver food and supplies, including ten tins of homemade biscuits, to estates, care homes and shelters.

It is the largest ever giveaway since the school started its Christmas appeal ten years ago, thanks to a partnership with Morrisons supermarket in Stamford Hill, where students were allowed to collect donations directly from shoppers.

Head of Religious Education (RE) Ms Price said: “It is a collective effort where the whole school community plays a part in the collection of food and nominating individuals known locally who would benefit from receiving a hamper.”

Price thanked students for dedicating their free time to help her team “wrap, pack and stack the hampers”.

Christmas stars: the food appeal involved the whole school. Photograph: OLCHS

She added: “Also, special thanks to Ms Stanton for the biscuit-making with her team of students in the health and social care department, who baked shortbread and gingerbread biscuits for the care homes our sixth formers work with in their Servite Community Service placements.

“We would also like to thank Morrisons for allowing us to have a donations collection point in their store and both Sainsbury’s and Asda for their generous donations.”

Pupils delivered 197 hampers, 32 tea-time parcels, two extra large boxes of toilet rolls and other supplies to a women’s shelter, five extra large boxes of foodstuff to a homeless hostel for men, and ten tins of their homemade biscuits.

Festive fundraising: supermarket Morrisons let pupils collect in-store. Photograph: OLCHS

Danai Barclay, Morrison’s Community Champion, said: “We are delighted to support Our Lady’s with this very important appeal for local people who may be facing a challenging Christmas and winter period.

“Our customers really like seeing young people engaged in this way and will always do their bit to support a good cause.”

Our Lady’s offers its sixth formers a weekly community engagement programme, during which the students support a range of local initiatives, including at care homes and sheltered accommodations.

The school says delivering Christmas hampers gives pupils an opportunity to catch up with the people they have bonded with during the course.