Blankets given to schools to help families in need keep warm this winter
Fleece blankets have been handed out to schools to help needy families cope with the onset of winter as they face cuts to family credit, the end of furlough and rising energy costs.
Pat McFadden MP joined councillors Linda Leach and Olivia Birch, who represent the Bilston area, to present more than 200 blankets on behalf of Excel Church Food Bank to representatives of four primary schools and two secondary schools.
Schools benefiting from the generous donation included Bilston CE Primary School, Field View Primary, Loxdale Primary and Villiers Primary.
Secondary schools to benefit include Moseley Park Academy and Ormiston South West Bilston Academy.
It is the second year that the Excel Church Foodbank has been involved in the distribution of blankets as part of a Winter Outreach Project. John Raj, the 48-year-old co-ordinator of the Foodbank, said: “We have distributed more than 200 blankets so far and have another 200 to go out.
“These were bought from wholesalers using funding we received.
“The Foodbank caters for between 100 and 150 families from the Bilston, Ettingshall and Coseley areas and has been operating since the start of the pandemic in March last year.
“We work very closely with the pastoral managers of local schools and they will distributed the blankets to families.
“They will go to those who are struggling for whatever reason including the end of the furlough scheme, family funding cuts and increasing energy prices. This might not solve all the issues people face but we feel that the blankets will provide some help.”
“People will at least be able to snuggle up in a warm blanket.”
John said that depending on need and ongoing finances it was possible that even more blankets might be distributed during the coming months.
