With just a few days until Christmas, pupils at Lawn Manor Academy are out and about delivering boxes of gifts and parcels of food to members of their local community.
Lawn Manor Academy, which is part of the Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Trust, is a school that celebrates diversity and multiculturism, with pupils and staff having a total of 35 different languages as their mother tongues.
This year, pupils have been busy collecting gifts and boxing them up to hand out to individuals and families who may appreciate some additional support at Christmas, or who may feel isolated and will welcome a friendly face and a socially-distanced chat at the door.
Pupils have also asked their own families to donate items of food and toiletries for people who may be struggling to pay for seasonal treats for their children.
Caireen Young, Head of Pupil Development & Character at Lawn Manor Academy, said she and her colleagues are very proud of how pupils have tirelessly collected gifts and non-perishable foods and packed them up for people less well off than themselves.
“It has been a tough year for pupils, having to adapt to very different ways of learning and often seeing far less of their friends than usual, so nobody could blame them if they just switched off now and concentrated on their own Christmases,” said Ms Young.
“But they have done exactly the opposite. They are very conscious that many families find things very tough at this time of the year, and have worked really hard to get the goods in and then parcel them up to give them out. Their families, who have also been so generous in popping some extras into their shopping trolleys to add to the gift boxes, have also been very generous, and on behalf of all those who are receiving presents we thank them very much.”
Lawn Manor Academy is delivering 89 boxes of food to Swindon Care at the Haven Day Centre on Queens Drive, adjacent to the Ambulance Station. Readers can also drop off donations at the Haven Day Centre between 10am and 2.30pm from now until and including Thursday 23 December.
