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Food and Care Service

The MST Food and Care Service was established in late March 2020 during the first COVID 19 lockdown in the UK. Its mission is to provide food and support to students and their families from the Mulberry Schools Trust community during the COVID – 19 pandemic particularly whilst students are not able to attend school. The MST Food and Care Service is supported by staff volunteers from the Mulberry Schools Trust and community donations of money and products. Its work would not be possible without the amazing volunteers who give their time and the financial support it has received from a range of organisations and individuals.

The initiative began when MST staff became aware of a growing problem of access to basic essentials such as sanitary products, toiletries and staple foods such as rice, pasta, flour and non-perishable foods. Hygiene poverty and the inability to stockpile left some families exposed and highly vulnerable to price hikes and profiteering as supermarket stocks dwindled. The MST Food and Care Service provided a minimum of three days’ nutritionally balanced, non -perishable tinned and dried food that has been donated by people in the local community, Trustees and Governors and friends of Mulberry Schools Trust. The service ran for 27 weeks from March to August and then again December 2021 and in May 2021.

From its inception in March, the MST Food and Care Service has fundraised very successfully and raised £92,648.29 in monetary donation. In addition to the monetary donations, we received product and food donations from various organisations which adds up to approximately £160,000.

Impact

  • For 27 weeks, an average of 420 families accessed the service each week.
  • 12,000 Food packages have been given out which is equivalent to 60,000 meals.
  • 22,000 care & household Items have been given out including shampoo, shower gel, hand sanitiser & washing powder.
  • In total, our students have accessed 200,000 sanitary products. 80,000 were given out before the lockdown & 120,000 by the Food Service.
  • We have given out 20,000 nappies and baby products.

We have received the following feedback from families:

“Thank you to Mulberry for providing this service at a time of such hardship. It has helped my family a lot.”

“I have been afraid to go to the supermarket during lock down and the deliveries from Mulberry have ensured that my family do not go hungry.”

“Like many parents, I have lost my job and the food service has relieved a financial burden from me.”

“It is great that the food products are healthy and culturally appropriate.”

“I will miss the service, since March, I only came out of my house on a Thursday to collect the packs. The packs have been great but it has also given me an opportunity to go out of the house which helps with my mental wellbeing.”

We are grateful to our sponsors, Trust staff, governors and families who have come together during this especially difficult time.

If you would like to know more about our Food and Care Service please contact Shanaz Jameson on sjameson@mulberryschoolstrust.org or telephone 020 7790 6327 and speak to reception.