Meals & Wheels.
As we near the end of the 2020/2021 academic year, we’d like to shine a spotlight on some of our amazing staff. The last 12 months have been extremely challenging for everybody. Yet, our fantastic team has worked tirelessly to ensure continuity for all of our students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
From our administrative and pastoral support to our teaching staff, we’re lucky to have such dedicated employees. Our staff always go the extra mile and assist all our students - with often complex needs - to achieve their full potential.
Special thanks today goes to our driver and classroom assistant, Shaun Roseveare and his partner Liesl, who quite literally went the extra mile during this year’s lockdown. Shaun, who typically transports vulnerable students in the school minibus, and Liesl, one of our Kitchen Managers instead took to the roads to deliver school meals and food parcels to those pupils and their parents who needed it.
Between January and March 2021, Shaun delivered literally hundreds of food parcels to our home learners at addresses across the region, from Doncaster to Lincoln. Shaun’s partner and Castles Futures Lincoln Kitchen Manager, Liesl Ranshaw, also took on the responsibility for shopping and catering. Liesl prepared food and helped to parcel up our offer which provided a lifeline for some of our students and their families.
Together, the pair made an enormous impact, and the feedback from parents and students was overwhelming. In contrast to the free school meals receiving a huge amount of bad press nationally, our food parcels gained the highest of praise from everyone involved:
What parents are saying:
“We would just like to say that the school meals have been a really big help to us. We hear parents at other schools have complained about how much they receive but not to us. These are decent portions and have been sent every week and are a massive help. Shaun always delivered the food with a smile!”
Shaun added:
“Tomorrow will be the last delivery of Free school meals before we return to school next week. Personally I have really enjoyed getting out and about meeting the mums and dads of our children, from both centres.
With outstanding help from my partner and best friend Liesl, we have carefully watched prices and budgeted accordingly. Week by week we have managed to save a little, without dropping in quantity or quality of food parcels. Below is the list of items which have been delivered EVERY week. The items have been bought with guidance from the free school meals Government web site where we have managed to provide everything on it, not just the items the items that were optional:
1 whole cucumber
A pack of cherry tomatoes
5 portions of fresh fruit including bananas, apples and oranges.
A block of cheese (over the 200g minimum)
A whole pack of cooked ham
4 pint milk
A tin of sweetcorn, tuna, beans and tinned fruit.
4 baking potatoes (2 more than minimum)
6 large eggs
1 Loaf of bread
8 pack of sausages
A pack of beef mince
A Jar of pasta sauce
A Pack of spaghetti
Because of careful budgeting and price watch, this week we have also added:
A bag of rice
1kg of chicken thighs or 1kg pork loins
2 quarter pounder chicken fillets
10 Cod fish fingers
I'm sure you will agree a very substantial, healthy food parcel and all within the free school meals budget across the entire duration of the provision. Castles should be very proud that we have been able to continue supporting our families during the summer. This is so far above what is being provided by others.
We can't wait to get back to work. “
Well done to everyone involved in this mission. This is the very essence of the Castles spirit and we are so proud of what you have achieved.
IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO SCHOOL MEAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE 21/22 ACADEMIC YEAR AND ARE NOT YET RECIEVEING IT, PLEASE BE SURE TO CONTACT US TO DISCUSS WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILD.
