Charitable Giving at Christmas

Monday 21 November 2022 | By Megan Connor

With the festive season rapidly approaching, it is the perfect opportunity to reflect on what we can do as a school community to help those in need this Christmas.

Mission Christmas 

Once again, we are coordinating a Christmas present collection for disadvantaged people in our community. Teesside High School is registered as a local ‘drop-off’ point for the area, and we would like to invite you to donate a gift.

Did you know that there are more than 42,000 children in our region who would not receive any gifts this Christmas, if not for this fantastic project.

The initiative is being pioneered by TFM Radio and is looking for a wide variety of presents to suit children and young people; boys and girls of all ages from 0-18 years. Any gifts should not be wrapped to help with distribution.

Mission Christmas boxes are located in our School Reception and in our Senior School Foyer.

Hebron Foodbank Collection

For the last eight years we have been proud to support a Christmastime foodbank collection for the Stockton area.  We have developed a great partnership with the Hebron Church in Stockton, which runs a foodbank in conjunction with The Trussell Trust each Wednesday and Friday.  Our efforts have always been incredibly well supported and, as such, we would like to do another collection this year.

With 13 million people currently living below the poverty line in the UK.  Every day, people go hungry for reasons ranging from unemployment to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income.  This situation has only been exacerbated through the pandemic.  The Trussell Trust foodbanks provide a minimum of three days emergency food and support to people experiencing a crisis in the UK.  Foodbanks help prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems.  A simple box of food makes a big difference.

All food at the Hebron Church is donated by the public and sorted by volunteers.  Frontline care professionals such as doctors and social workers identify people in crisis and issue a food voucher. Clients receive three days of nutritionally balanced, non-perishable food in exchange for their food voucher.  Foodbanks also make time to chat and to signpost clients to other helpful services.

A list of the most useful donations can be found at https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/donate-food/

Items such as UHT milk, sugar, pasta, pasta sauces and tinned meat are gratefully received, along with non-food items such as toiletries.

Please bring any donations to Reception or to the Senior School Foyer between Monday 21 November and Wednesday 14 December.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.