Pupils at Willows High deliver 40 parcels for people without a home.
The group Splott Community Volunteers is well known for its amazing commitment to helping others and making Splott an even better place to live through their tireless project and community work.
They’re perhaps most well-known for the Splott Breaksfast Club that runs every Thursday morning at the Old Library, Singleton Road, where people can get a good breakfast in their belly for no more than £1.
This Christmas, the group decided to step up their charitable deeds by collecting useful and essential items for people without a permanent home and sent out an advert through the breakfast club.
Mooneerams Solicitors saw the poster and contacted Splott Community Volunteers, asking whether they could become involved in some way and then kindly donated lots of pens and gym bags, which are useful to carry toiletries.
The poster also sparked interest from Willows High School and SplottCommVols were contacted by one of the teachers, Louise Guilfoyle-Parry, who asked how they could participate. Angela Bullard of SplottCommVols suggested that perhaps tutor groups could use the project to discuss social issues and help pupils to understand their role in the community and how small acts of kindness to others can have great effects. The tutor groups talked of the importance of sharing and charity and then filled shoeboxes with small useful items or treats they felt may be enjoyed by homeless individuals or families who are disadvantaged, and labelled them accordingly.
40 parcels were collected and handed to Splott Community Volunteers on Monday, 3rd December, by Willows High School Student Ambassadors.
“I noticed the appeal on Facebook and thought that it would be a fantastic thing for our pupils to get involved with especially as it was for our local community. One of our school rules is to be kind and in the past our pupils have always been so generous when it comes to charity events, I knew they would be thrilled to get involved. I was amazed and really touched by the thoughtfulness and generosity of our pupils their families and of course our wonderful staff at Willows. As a school we wanted to give a bit of happiness to the less fortunate this Christmas and I hope our small act of kindness has done that.” Louise Guilfoyle-Parry, Subject leader for RE, Willows High School.
Those for needy families will be handed out at Breakfast Clubs held at Trinity Church and The Old Library, and the boxes destined for the homeless will be shared out in liaison with ‘Helping the Homeless in Cardiff’ which is run by Vicky Bailey, also a Splott Community Volunteer. Vicky knows the rough sleepers and where they stay and will guide volunteers appropriately.
Angela said:
“It is amazing that a simple remark made in Splott Breakfast Club has resulted in such a huge community effort to help the less fortunate. So many people involved, in many different ways, and all with generous hearts and mindful of the difficulties experienced by others. Another fine tribute to community partnerships!”
Well, it is the season of giving and from this lovely story and last week’s news of Aneurin and mam Emma collecting food for people facing a hard time this Christmas, it’s quite obvious that Splott sure knows how to deliver on that!