Highfield Academy pupils collect tins to support Blackpool's needy

Highfield pupils prepared a tasty meal with donated goods

They took part in a host of activities supporting of World Food Day with an emphasis on helping people in food poverty in the Blackpool community.

The Pupil Council and Pupil Volunteer Group, the Highfield Helpers, organised a challenge to collect tins, bottles and packets of food and drink to support families in the local area. Generous pupils and staff smashed the target of collecting 20 items per tutor group and collectively donated 900 items to Blackpool Food Bank and Blackpool Amazing Grace, two local charities that the school supports all year-round.

World Food Day also saw pupils attending assemblies to raise awareness of food poverty and its prevalence locally and across the country, and to challenge stereotypes about people living in food poverty.

Pupils at Highfield Academy collected a mountain of food

In PHSE lessons, all pupils took part in workshops to learn about the importance of having a balanced diet.

The next step will involve all pupils taking part in a healthy eating challenge in their form groups.

Year 7 pupil Kian Kane-Manderson said: “As part of my role on the pupil council, we want people to understand that it is not just homeless people who are going hungry. Blackpool Food Bank have told us that there are over 9,000 children in Blackpool living in food poverty. At least one of their parents could be working.”

As part of the school’s long-term commitment to supporting those in food poverty and to ensure its pupils learn to cook and eat healthily, the school has opened Bill’s Kindness Kitchen. Each half term, pupils and staff volunteers will learn how to cook affordable and balanced meals.