Homeless people in Thanet will receive food from generous Ramsgate students as part of their Harvest Festival celebrations.

Packets and tins have been gathered and boxed up by Ellington School for Girls for delivery to The Scrine Foundation in Cliftonville, and will be distributed among the needy, as part of the school’s community outreach work.

Girls also created a dazzling floral display for the Harvest Festival celebrations at St Mark’s Church in Ramsgate, which the school is forging close links with since it moved to the new campus at Newlands Lane off Pysons Road.

A pair of school shoes and a satchel are the unusual containers for the flowers - Year 11 students head girl Rhiannon Lunn and senior prefect Sammi-Jo Gammon each designed the display for a shoe, while science technician Lorraine Keeler created the design for the satchel.

The containers are planted out with colourful flowers including geraniums, roses and marigolds which have been grown in the school’s science courtyard garden. Loraine Bant , assistant head teacher, said: “Harvest Festival is an important part of our school life each year and we wanted to take part in the celebration at St Mark’s which has the theme 'All Things Bright and Beautiful.”

Meanwhile children at St Peter’s junior school have been supporting the Seeds for Africa charity during their harvest celebrations.

Families made a donation to the cause which helps African families and communities by providing locally sourced seeds, plants, agricultural equipment and advice.

A spokesman for Seeds for Africa said: “Much of our work is with primary school children helping them to establish kitchen vegetable gardens and fruit tree orchards. Our projects offer dignity and independence. By producing nutritious food in this way, secure, reliable food sources are assured for the future.”

The harvest festival celebrations were at St Andrew’s Church and St Peter’s Church; pupils will perform a short drama centred on Bible stories at the festival service.