Sunderland youngsters rally round to support people in need

Hetton School has been running a competition to encourage pupils to support local foodbank, Loaves and Fishes.

Youngsters were also asked to bring in some gifts to give to elderly residents in the neighbourhood who may not have any visitors this festive season.

Amran Suleman, a senior leader and technology teacher at the school, in North Road, Hetton, said he was ‘blown away’ by youngsters efforts.

He said: “I have worked in several schools in the North East and I always ran the same competition, but this is unequivocally the best one I have done.

“For such a small school it is an amazing total and I am blown aways by their efforts.”

For the three weeks of the competition pupils were divided into a ‘house system’ and were encouraged to compete against each other to bring in the most food items for the worthy cause.

More than 400 youngsters aged 11 to 16 took part and donated a range of items for the food bank, which is based at Easington Lane, as well as gifts such as chocolate and sweets for the elderly people in the community.

Mr Suleman added: “It has been phenomenal.

“We have had over 1,000 items of food and over 300 items for the elderly people.

“Students also made some of the gifts such as a Manchester United clock for a lady who loved the team.

“Loaves and Fishes were ecstatic with the donation and said the was the biggest collection they have taken this year.”