YOUNG people are helping to keep a Sunderland homeless charity’s work going for another year thanks to an impressive donation.
The students from Southmoor Academy raised £1,500 for the Churches of Sunderland City Centre’s homeless work at Burn Park Methodist Church.
A vital lifeline to the homeless, the group runs regular drop-in sessions from the church hall to provide warm meals and support to those living rough.
Also, since the beginning of term, the pupils at the Ryhope Road school have been collecting tinned food and handed over an impressive 900 cans to the charity.
Southmoor Academy managed to raise the money for the homeless work by hosting a Christmas fair and feeder school choir service, which also involved pupils from Hill View Infant School and Valley Road Primary School and decided to donate the money to the charity work.
Canon Alec Barrass, a committee member for Churches of Sunderland City Centre, said: “We are particularly grateful to Southmoor Academy for organising such a successful event.
“With ticket sales they raised £1,500, splendid. That will pay for our gas, electricity, rent, insurance and renewal of kitchen items for a year.
“What’s left we’ll use to buy sleeping bags for people who have neither bedding nor shelter.”
Hereward Hanson, treasurer of the group, said: “A very big thank you to all who got behind the idea to help the homeless.
“The number of tins brought in by the pupils was amazing and will be a tremendous help. The fantastic amount of money raised will certainly help us pay our way.
“I just cannot find enough words to say a massive thank you to the pupils, parents and teachers who got behind this wonderful event.”
Jon Nicholson, senior assistant principal at Southmoor Academy, said everyone is very proud of the effort the pupils have put into raising the money and collecting the cans of food.
The school thanked all the parents and members of the community who have supported them.
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