Food for thought – students collect donations for those in crisis

Kind hearted students from Northumbria University are collecting for their local foodbank to help those in crisis over the festive period.

Collection points for Newcastle East Foodbank have been set up at Northumbria Law School by its Student Law Office (SLO), which provides a free legal service to members of the community.

The pro-bono legal service, run by students under the supervision of qualified lawyers, is a lifeline to many in Newcastle who are unable to afford representation.

Law students, Hannah Newberry, Alexandra Jones and Molly Foster are organising the collection. Debbie Rook, principal lecturer and director of student experience and support at Northumbria Law School, is a volunteer at the food bank in her spare time.

She said: “It’s fantastic to see the SLO students giving their support. I volunteer at the foodbank on West Road and I meet lots of lovely people who have fallen on difficult times.”

A poster campaign is currently underway at the university to encourage as much participation as possible, and drop-off points have been set up throughout the Law School for anyone wishing to make a donation in the lead-up to Christmas.

The SLO’s students have even set up a unique collection scheme for anyone unable to get to the drop off points – a Christmas elf has been appointed to make collections directly from offices at the Law School.

Newcastle East and Newcastle West Foodbanks are run by the Trussell trust and are two of 420 across the UK that provide emergency supplies to people in crisis situations. Those in need are referred to the foodbank by professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers, police or the Citizens’ Advice Bureau – they receive a voucher which can be redeemed for three days of emergency food.

In 2013/14, foodbanks fed more than 913,000 people nationwide, more than 330,000 of whom were children.

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