Anonymous Waitrose delivery sent to food bank run by Yorkshire headteacher in his office

Staff at Sandal Castle Primary School in Wakefield were overwhelmed by the generous Waitrose order from an anonymous sender. Andrew Carter, who set up the food bank alongside staff in his school discreetly housed inside his office, said he was “heartened” by the response and outpouring of generosity since he appeared in The Yorkshire Post.

The deputy headteacher said: “I am not one for a lot of attention but it has been worth it because of the response we’ve had. It’s been brilliant to see so many more people donate to the school food bank but also that people know that anyone who needs extra help from us in our community can access the food bank.

“We’re here for everyone and are so grateful for any donations or for people to refer someone they know in our area who may be struggling.”

Mr Carter previously said he was dismayed at the situation facing families and staff he works with due to the rising cost of living. His office also acts as a meeting room, a safe space for families as well as becoming a stockroom for free toiletries and other essentials too.

He said: “Anyone can come in on a trust basis and grab what they need. We also deliver food parcels to some families who would otherwise struggle to get food. We did this a lot during the pandemic, but it’s only going to get busier. There’s no form filling or limited amount of uses, we’ve tried to remove any barriers so people can just get what they need when they drop their kids off or pick them up.”

He said staff at the school have continued to stock the food bank over the years but now some of them need it too. Lower paid staff such as teaching assistants and catering staff are particularly struggling. He added: “One of the challenges we face is that it is purely stocked by staff. As staff struggle too, it is hard for them to stock our food bank.”