Reverse Advent 2020

Normally, with an advent calendar, you open a little door each day and get something. With a reverse advent calendar, you put something in, rather than taking something out.
Every day from November 16th 2020, we will be collecting items for a local food bank, ready to donate before we break up for Christmas. This means the food bank will have time to make up food parcels and distribute the contents before Christmas.

Why take part?

In the UK, more than 12 million people are living in poverty, of whom 4.5 million are children. It was bad enough before. This year will be even worse. Many people have seen their jobs or self-employed earnings wiped out by Covid-19. Others have seen their income cut while on furlough. Overall, a third of families have lost income because of coronavirus.

As a result, rising demand for food banks has rocketed. More than half the people using foodbanks at the start of the pandemic had never needed one before. This winter, demand for food banks is predicted to be 61% higher than record figures last year. An extra 670,000 more people in the UK are at risk of being pushed into destitution this winter, unable to afford the basics in life.
No-one should go hungry, least of all at Christmas. By taking part we can help people in our local community, encourage our students to think of others and raise awareness of food poverty.

How are we collecting?

If every student brought in one item from 16th November, we would have over 1000 items to donate to a local foodbank. If at all possible, please encourage your son/daughter to bring items into school which can then be stored in their form rooms or reception and will be donated to a local food bank before we break up. Students can bring as many items as they wish between 16th November and 16th December 2020.

What should we bring/donate?

A typical food parcel includes:

• Cereal
• Soup
• Pasta
• Rice
• Tinned tomatoes/ pasta sauce
• Lentils, beans and pulses
• Tinned meat
• Alongside the standard food parcel, food banks try to provide other essential non-food items to adults and children in crisis. The list below sets out what food banks generally need the most:
  Toiletries – deodorant, toilet paper, shower gel, shaving gel, shampoo, soap,
  toothbrushes, tooth paste, hand wipes
• Household items – laundry liquid detergent, laundry powder, washing up liquid
• Feminine products – sanitary towels and tampons
• Baby supplies – nappies, baby wipes and baby food
• Face masks and hand sanitiser!

Thank you for your support!