Boys help charity stock up for winter

Friday 21 November 2014

A charity that provides a free food bank for Islanders has one less mountain to climb this winter thanks to one of the Island’s primary schools.

The boys at Victoria College Prep built a mountain of tinned food so big that it filled 14 huge boxes for the Grace Trust’s food bank – which should be enough to help those struggling to put food on the table until Christmas.

The boys started the collection after being inspired to help others by the vicar at their Harvest Festival assembly.

Head teacher Russell Price said: “Reverend Shea has led our Harvest assemblies for the last few years. It was his idea to raise our boys’ awareness of the needs of others close to home this year and the wonderful work done by the Grace Trust.

“It is good for our pupils to reflect on quite how lucky we are and what we take for granted, and I was delighted by the way the boys and their families responded with donations to support them.”

The charity that operates a year-round emergency food bank providing basic items free from its base in Minden Street has seen a big increase in the number of new referrals. Last week almost a third were people they’d never seen before.

Grace Trust deputy manager Vini Jones said: “We’re definitely getting busier, we’re getting fresh referrals from Social Security, even people who are working but still struggling, we had 31 people in last week who went home with a bag of groceries, tinned stuff and some frozen meals.”

The charity runs a food basket scheme and their baskets get filled up in churches, schools and parish halls around the Island.  But they are hoping more local businesses will take part and that their staff will help fill up one of their baskets with non-perishable goods like teabags, rice, pasta, bread and tinned food. Once a basket is full, the charity collects it and makes sure it gets to those most in need.

Mr Jones said: “At this time of the year, as Christmas goodwill is spread far and wide, people are more likely to think of those less fortunate than themselves. While we are always grateful to those who support us, we need that support all year round and never more so than in the first months of a new year.”

If you want to join the charity's food basket scheme you can contact Gerry Padden or Vini Jones on 631667.

For more information about Grace Trust, visit their profile on our new charity section here.