‘Unacceptable’ free food parcels for Shoreham pupils supplemented by supermarket

Left: The original food parcel contents. Right: The extra food provided by Tesco

A Shoreham school was able to bulk up meagre food parcels for pupils after a supermarket stepped in to offer produce at a discount.

Teachers at Swiss Gardens Primary School who unpacked the free food parcels intended for eligible pupils, which were supposed to contain enough food for a week, were left less than impressed.

Alastair Reid, chairman of governors at the school, said: “They took one look at it and said, that’s totally unacceptable.”

Staff decided to do something about it, and when they approached Tesco Holmbush and explained the situation, the supermarket kindly gave them around £200 worth of food for just £35 to supplement the hampers.

The food provided in the original parcel

Mr Reid said the reaction from parents receiving the newly-improved food parcels was ‘amazing’.

“The parents were so grateful,” he said. “For some of them it might be the only food they get.

“That was quite emotional, handing over bags of stuff.”

Mr Reid said it was a good reminder that, amid these difficult times, schools were going above and beyond for their pupils.