Mansfield pupils raise more than £800 in heart-warming fundraiser to support local families

Pupils from The Brunts Academy, hosted a series of fundraising initiatives to raise money for The Trussell Trust, which supports food banks across the country, including Sherwood Forest Foodbank in Mansfield Woodhouse and the South Normanton Area Foodbank.

Trussell said it was struggling to meet demand in the run up to Christmas – and Brunts students wanted to help.

The pupils raised £877 for the charity by a festive Christmas concert, holding an academy-wide non-uniform day and releasing a Christmas song online.

The concert was the academy’s first live concert since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and brought together pupils and members of the community to spread cheer for a worthy cause.

A spokesman for the academy, on The Park, said everyone was thrilled to round off the term on such a high note and pupils were even happier to make their donation to The Trussell Trust.

Carl Atkin, academy principal, said: “I am very proud of our pupils for leading the efforts to raise money to support the Trussell Trust.

“It is heart-warming to see such a caring endeavour by our bright young people, truly embodying the values of the academy with ambition and integrity.

“We are pleased to have been able to work with the Trussell Trust to build up the food bank supplies before the Christmas period.

“The charity is a pillar of the community and works to uplift many disadvantaged families, so it is great to have the opportunity to work alongside them and make a difference.”