Pupils from Merley First School took part in a special Harvest Festival assembly before presenting Rev Robert Jones with the food they had collected to donate to Wimborne Food Bank.
Children from an east Dorset school have generously put together a bounty of food to give to local families in need.
For their annual harvest festival the children of Merley First School brought in hundreds of items of tinned and packaged food to give to the Wimborne Food Bank.
Set up by local churches and the charity Faithworks Wessex, the Wimborne Food Bank provides food to families who find themselves in a financial crisis.
A grateful Reverend Robert Jones, co-ordinator of the food bank, attended the school’s festival to accept their gifts on behalf of the people who will benefit.
He said: “Food banks are seeing an increase in the number of people we’re helping – especially young families with children.
“We estimate we have donated food to around 100 more children than we did last year.
“So we are particularly grateful to schools like Merley and their children for supporting us in this way. We are very fortunate to be based in such a generous community.”
In the lead-up to the festival, the children of Merley First School linked the event with their learning.
Children in Year 3 have been learning about trees from a painting by Gustav Klimt and writing poems inspired by the famous artwork.
Those poems were performed by the children at the harvest festival.
Pupils from Merley First School took part in a special Harvest Festival assembly before presenting Rev Robert Jones with the food they had collected to donate to Wimborne Food Bank.
And that was not the end of the performances.
Year 1 children performed a rap inspired by the well-known fairy story of the Little Red Hen whose hard work on the farm results in food being made.
More songs and poems inspired by harvest were also performed by children in years 2 and 4 – with a Samba and a rock and roll influence.
Headteacher of Merley First School, Jane Phillips, said: “The harvest festival is one of our main highlights of the autumn term.
“It helps us to reflect as a school on the hard work that goes into producing food and how essential food is to life.
“We also reflect on how lucky we are to receive food and the importance of helping others who are struggling.”
Anyone who would like to donate food to the Wimborne Food Bank can leave small donations at Waitrose or arrange larger donations by calling 07766 395944.
Merley First School is one of seven First and Middle schools in the Wimborne Academy Trust (WAT), along with Allenbourn Middle School, Colehill First School, St John’s First School, Hayeswood First School, St Michael’s Middle School and Witchampton CE First School.
WAT was formed in March 2015.
All of its academies are rated either Good or Outstanding.
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