Brentford FC Community Sports Trust have stepped in to help ensure students eligible for free school meals at Oak Hill Academy have them delivered to their doorstep. Three volunteers have been collecting food parcels from Oak Hill, in Feltham, and handing them over to families.

Food parcels for families has been in the news in recent weeks. And football has been closely linked with England international Marcus Rashford involved in conversations to ensure no child is hungry at the current time when schools have a reduced offering and there are restrictions on movement. For Rachael Saim, Principal of Oak Hill, this has not been an issue because she and her team went above and beyond for students to ensure they received a sizeable and nutritious food parcel of the same quality as the meals the students would usually eat in school.

Mrs Saim explained: “Oak Hill wanted to try to ensure all families got a good deal with their food hampers and it was important to receive one for each child in the household not simply one bag per family. We are incredibly grateful to the Brentford FC charity who delivered the food hampers to the doorstep! Thank you to all those heroes!"

Thanks to the Trust, Oak Hill’s students had the parcels delivered straight to their homes. Around 71 food parcels have been dispatched to the eligible families. Typical contents of the food parcels included: loaf of bread, baking potatoes, cucumber, tomatoes, sweetcorn in water, five portions of fresh fruit, pack of sliced meat (and vegetarian option) tin of meat or tuna, eggs, cheese portions, baked beans, five yoghurt pots, two pints semi-skimmed milk, dried pasta and fruit juices.

Amber Lloyd, Female Football Development Co-ordinator at the Trust, said: “After speaking to a member of staff at Oak Hill and explaining how we wanted to help local young people during the latest lockdown, she mentioned that not all young people and families were able to collect the food parcels. We wanted to help in as many ways as possible. Linking up with local schools has meant we are able to help deliver the food to the young people and families.”

Oak Hill and Brentford FC Community Sports Trust have been in a long-term partnership where students have had many opportunities to take part in coaching sessions. Due to the current pandemic, the Trusthave adapted their services to include free online coaching sessions for young people. But recently, when students and families needed a different kind of support, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust were still keen to help.

“We wanted to continue to support as many young people and their families as possible during the third lockdown”, Amber added.