Each tutor group is creating a Christmas themed hamper and must fill it with donations of dry goods.  The deadline for the hamper entries is on Tuesday 19^th December 2017.  The completed hampers, along with all donations will then be delivered to the Luton Foodbank on Wednesday 20^th December 2017.

Luton Foodbank is an award-winning, not-for-profit, community benefit society started in 2013. It aims to benefit the community by providing nutritionally balanced and culturally appropriate food, free to people in hardship or distress.  This means that they give emergency, long life food to people who have no money to buy food. 

As well as this, they provide access to advice and support through the Citizens Advice Bureau, information to local advice and guidance services and create Youtube videos showing how to make meals from their food parcels.

People need to use Foodbanks for many reasons, from illness or unemployment to family crisis and homelessness.  We have chosen to donate to the Luton Foodbank because, in Year 8, we do not feel that it is right that families in our area should go hungry, especially the children within our community.

This project also gives your child an opportunity to join in with our new “Be Nicer” ethos.  Year 8 students will get lots of opportunity to become more community minded and take part in specific projects to earn points towards rewards such as certificates.

Being community minded is having an interest in helping the wider community and being socially concerned. All over Lealands, there are people who help others, give advice, volunteer to help and make Lealands a better place to be.  This is true of the wider community in Luton also.  Giving your time helps you to give back to your community.  It can boost a young person’s self-confidence, self-esteem and life satisfaction, as well as give them opportunity to gain a different skill set and provide them with a sense of accomplishment.

This year, we want to inspire this in our Year 8 students and empower them to seek opportunities to do more for the local community.  These opportunities will be run in three levels – bronze, silver and gold.  There is opportunity to gain 9 certificates over the next two years for participation in specific community minded activities laid out in a booklet they have received during tutor time.

Therefore, if possible, we are asking for parents and carers of Year 8 students to please donate one or two items from the list below to help your child become more community minded and contribute to their tutor groups’ hamper:

• Rice pudding/custard
• Carton of fruit juice
• Milk (UHT)
• Tinned fish
• Breakfast cereal
• Sugar (500g)
• Instant noodles
• Jam
• Tinned vegetables
• Dry rice (500g)
• Baked beans
• Dried pasta (500g)
• Tea bags
• Instant coffee
• Tinned meat
• Tinned fruit
• Soup
• Tinned tomatoes
• Pasta sauce
• Biscuits

Please donate only non-perishable goods and no glass bottles or jars.  If you would like more information about the Luton Foodbank, please visit www.lutonfoodbank.org.uk.

Thank you in advance for any support you can give.