Pupils at Deal Parochial School have donated Christmas gift boxes to Deal Area Emergency Foodbank.

Children and parents at the school donated a variety of treats including biscuits, nuts and novelty sweets as well as puzzles and toys.

Head teacher Justine Brown said: “We had a really good response. I was really proud of everyone.

“We decided to keep it local ensuring that families had some treats at Christmas, the treats that make Christmas special.”

Chairman of Deal’s foodbank Alan Thompson visited the school and gave a talk on the need for foodbanks during an assembly.

Mrs Brown added: “He came in to talk to children about the charity and how families need that additional financial support and how easy it is to get into difficulties.

“We put it into our newsletter and some of our parents came in to volunteer to wrap up the boxes and organise them into hampers.”

Members from the pupil council visited the foodbank warehouse last week to see where their gift boxes go and how they will be used.

Deal Area Emergency Foodbank has announced its opening times over Christmas.

The Foodbank outlets will be open as usual until Friday, December 19.

On Tuesday, December 23, St Richard’s Church in Mill Hill, Deal, will be open as usual from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

On Christmas Eve, St Finbarrs in Aylesham will be open as usual from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

The next outlet will be open on Friday, January 2, at Trinity Church, Union Road, Deal, from 10am to noon and St Finbarrs from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

Full service will resume from Tuesday, January 6.

During this time emergency food boxes will be available from Deal Salvation Army at the Phoenix Centre in Sandwich, St Finbarrs in Aylesham and St Peter and St Paul Church in Eythorne.

The last pick-up or collection from donation sites will be Tuesday, December 23.