Students and staff at Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy donated dozens of items to a food bank in Ilkeston.
The whole school was asked to bring in tinned food and dried goods for the collection for the Arena Food Bank.
The food bank was launched by the Arena Church, in partnership with the Arena Community charity, in 2010 as a result of the increasing awareness of the number of people in Ilkeston who had no food and were in need of emergency supplies.
People who are referred to the food bank from local organisations and agencies can visit the food bank centre in Belfield Street where they are given a food parcel and a hot meal.
OIEA students Katie Tongue and Emily Stuart co-ordinated the collection in school.
Katie said: “We used to support Operation Ilkestonian as a school but that stopped so we were looking for something else to support and we thought the food bank would be a good idea.
“I already knew about it because I volunteered there with my mum a couple of years ago.
“We talked to some classes in school and prepared a presentation and we held a non-uniform day in exchange for donations.”
Emily said: “We were really pleased with the amount of donations we have received, they just kept coming in. It’s great to think that it will all be going to people who really need it and that we have all hopefully helped to make a difference.”
Katie Hughes, Head of Year 11 at OIEA, in King George Avenue, said she was proud of all of the students involved.
She said: “Some members of our local community rely on this vital service so we were thrilled with the response to our collection. We have been overwhelmed with donations and we would like to thank everyone who has contributed.”

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