Staff at a Rotherham school have stepped out of the classroom and into the streets to help take the edge off winter for Sheffield’s homeless by donating dozens of goodies instead of swapping Christmas cards.
The kind-hearted teaching staff at Listerdale Junior Academy have handed over two large trays full of toiletries and groceries to the city’s Cathedral Archer Project charity ahead of the coldest months of the year.
Based at Sheffield Cathedral, the project supports homeless people and helps them to develop their independence and improve their wellbeing, and is always on the lookout for provisions.
Staff at Listerdale decided to help after staff were discussing the difficulties in finding time to write their Christmas cards and, as a result, agreed to make a donation to charity instead.
Andy Parfrement, left, manager of the Cathedral Archer Project, with volunteers from the project and David Simpson, principal of Listerdale Junior Academy, who donated toiletries and groceries collected by the school’s teaching staff.
The next step was to decide which good cause they wanted to help, which is when Listerdale school principal David Simpson suggested the Archer Project, having supported the charity at his previous school.
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Once the decision was made, the staff brought bagfuls of goodies to school with them and delivered them to the charity on Thursday, December 20.
Mr Simpson said: “The school had already donated items to a local care home, but when they were discussing who had finished their Christmas cards, someone suggested that they would be bringing in biscuits instead of cards this year because they didn’t have time to do it.
“We decided that more of us could make a similar gesture, but instead we could make a donation to the Cathedral Archer Project in lieu of cards, and it snowballed from there.
“The project makes a huge difference to people’s lives so we trust our donation will be put to good use.”
ENDS
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