‘When children see the logo, they know that someone cares about them’
‘The Rapid Relief Team (RRT) first came to my attention when we had serious floods in 2007 and their volunteers turned out to help the community in Stow on the Wold deal with flooded buildings,’ said headteacher Rebecca Scutt. During the Platinum Jubilee the RRT set up tents and produced, ‘around 400 absolutely amazing lunches for the community.’
Read this blog to find out how our Early Bird Learning program has supported the Stow on the Wold Primary School.
The Stow on the Wold primary school is located in the Cotswolds. With pockets of deprivation, some families work long hours for very low pay. With no access to benefits, as they are lifted out of entitlements, families are still in poverty.
When the Stow RRT team offered to donate the Early Bird Learning Kits to the school, Rebecca was delighted because these kits can be a lifetime for families that are faced with crisis, especially when a parent ends up in hospital or loses their job.
When parents come in for a chat and need help to unravel their problems Rebecca can immediately offer assistance without filling out any forms, or referring the family. ‘The Food Boxes are absolutely amazing’. ‘As well as the essentials, there are tasty extras such as a chocolate bar, sauce mixes and not dogs, all supplied in the box. When children see the logo, they know that someone cares about them.’
The Stow in the Wold primary school is able to target disadvantaged children through their free breakfast club, helping to make a good start to the day. This breakfast club means that children can have half an hour in a calm atmosphere, with some food.
The Early Bird Learning program encourages children to have ‘brain food’, such as porridge, slow burning carbs, and fruit, which chimes with the schools message on healthy eating. The Smarrt Cookie Bars are also included in the kits, and provide a nutritional balance and energy for those who have arrived late to school, ensuring that they can focus on their lessons.
Inside the Kits also include the much-loved Cookie the Kookaburra, in a toy version, as well as an educational video form. He is used throughout the school in order to encourage those affected by the Covid19 virus, where children can become more anxious and have little resilience. Cookie shows the children simple breathing exercises to help with the mental health and anxiety.
Rebecca tells us that Cookie is much loved throughout the school. ‘The messages in Cookie’s videos reinforce our school values such as teamwork and determination. He tells them to work with others and encourages children to put in the effort and not to give up, even on bad days when nothing goes right.’
