A secondary academy in Teesside is getting into the festive spirit and collecting food to donate to a local Food Bank.

Leaders at ̨��swag Academy Normanby, based on Normanby Road in Middlesbrough, has challenged each of the academy’s vertical mentoring groups to create a hamper each. The hampers will then be donated to Whale Hill Community Centre Food Bank.

The Whale Hill Community Centre Food Bank was created by Lyndsey Peters who earlier this year won the Teesside Philanthropic Foundation Teesside Hero Award in recognition of her contribution to the local community.

Andrew Wappat, Principal at ̨��swag Academy Normanby, said:

“At ̨��swag we believe in playing a vital role in the local communities we are privileged to serve, and this is just another example of this belief in practice.

“The students, and their parents, have been so generous and supportive of what we are trying to do. We really appreciate it because without their caring attitudes, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

The food donations were presented to the academy’s friends at the Whale Hill Community Centre at a special assembly on Thursday.