Local families receive Christmas food and winter coats from Millfield

Students, staff and members of the Millfield community have donated over 50 Christmas food hampers to vulnerable local families in the Street area. The joint initiative with Millfield’s food supplier Chartwells is aimed at ensuring everyone has a special meal on Christmas day.

Children at local schools in the Mendip area have also received over 50 coats this winter. The coats were donated by Millfield families and staff, which have been laundered and prepared by the Laundry Department at the school.

Millfield has been working closely with the Street Parish Council and the Mendip District Council to help support local children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Christmas hampers include fresh and pre-packaged ingredients, including a turkey crown, festive vegetables, chocolates, Christmas puddings and crackers to pull at the table, as well as a few surprises and even treats for family pets. Staff from Millfield will also be delivering the hampers in the run up to Christmas day.

The school was awarded a certificate of appreciation from Lions Clubs International earlier this year for its work to help the local community in Street and Glastonbury through donations and volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Millfield Headmaster Gavin Horgan says, “After an extraordinary summer, the Millfield community wanted to make sure that local families could enjoy a plentiful Christmas this year. The pandemic has been a shock to us all and has hit some families especially hard, so we are delighted that we can help to bring some Christmas cheer to those who need it. I’m really pleased that we have such strong links with our local community in Somerset and look forward to the ways we can further help each other in the years to come.”

Andy Leafe, Chair of the Street Parish Council and one of the Parent Family Support Advisors working with local infant and junior schools in Street, says, “Even before the pandemic, Millfield has become the nucleus of the community here in Street. It’s hard to describe the profound effect that the school has had on the families that need support in this area, but as someone who works very closely with them, I have seen the positive impact first-hand. I’m immensely proud of what Millfield and the collective voluntary organisations in Street have achieved during such a challenging time. Thank you.”