Baby boon as UCS pupils donate to North Paddington Foodbank

In the aftermath of Storm Ciarán, UCS pupils rallied to the cause on Friday morning when the annual North Paddington Foodbank Collection took place at the Senior School.

Following much wet and windy weather, student organisers moved this year’s foodbank drive from the playground to the Great Hall, and in a second departure from tradition, prioritised donations of baby milk, nappies, wipes and sanitary items rather than the usual collection of foodstuffs.

Assistant Head (Pupils), Jessica Lewis, explained that the decision to put mothers and babies first had been taken in tandem with North Paddington Foodbank, saying: “This year the foodbank let us know that there is an urgent demand for supplies to support babies and new parents. With the rise in the cost of living, these essential items have become difficult to buy for many.”

Ms Lewis was delighted with the response of the entire school community as pupils brought in abundant supplies of infant formula (Years 7 and 8), nappies of varying sizes (Years 9, 10 and 11), baby wipes (Year 12), and sanitary pads (Year 13 and staff).

“Our pupils brought dedication and enthusiasm to their efforts for this ‘baby drive’ – and responded with remarkable generosity to the needs of the community,” she said. “The relationship we have with North Paddington Food Bank is longstanding and forms a crucial part of UCS pupils’ awareness of and support for their local community.”

UCS’s partnership with North Paddington Foodbank dates back to 2016 and the collection is now a Foundation-wide initiative. The Junior Branch held theirs in mid-October, while the Pre-Prep collection also took place during the first half of term as part of their Harvest Festival.