Local people have donated hundreds of items to fill more than 700 resources packs for deprived children studying at home in Lewisham.
The project was organised by Dr Katharine Alston from the Deptford Ragged School Archive, who launched an appeal for learnng and writing materials such as pens and pencils, crayons, reading books, colouring books, rulers etc. More than 100 local people donated items which have now been distributed by 10 local primary schools.
Alston has worked with a team of volunteers from the Bear Cubs toddler group, the Bear Church to collect and distribute the resources packs to primary schools.
Alston launched the appeal after teachers told her there were local children who didn’t have resources or access to online courses under the lockdown. Local schools compiled lists of children who were in need and helped to distribute the packs.
She said: “If families are struggling to get food, they probably not prioritising getting the resources they need for their children to learn.” Sometimes the difficulties were “hidden” and there was “still a big need out there”. She plans to reach out to other schools in Lewisham Borough, dependent on sufficient donations.
The Archive is a collection that tells the history of The Deptford Ragged School which was founded in 1844 to help children in what has always been a deprived area.
“The collection process was not difficult at all.” Alston said, “We are incredibly grateful to the huge number of people from the local community who have donated to the project.”
The project will go on until the end of the school term. You can help by checking its Twitter @DeptfordRaggedS and its official website.