School’s Great County Food Drop Delivers 2,000 Bags of Groceries to Needy

Published on: 23 Jul, 2020
Updated on: 24 Jul, 2020

A peek through the main entrance to County School shows that normal activity has definitely been suspended.

Over the past 20 weeks, volunteers at Guildford County School have delivered more than 2,000 bags of donated groceries to needy families in Guildford and the surrounding villages as part of the Great County Food Drop.

Every Thursday, students and parents bring groceries to be sorted by volunteers, then members of the school staff deliver to about 60 families.

The Great County Food Drop was born in the week before schools in England closed in March, when teachers asked students for donations to help families who might struggle as lockdown measures were tightened. After a tremendous response, the school set up a weekly routine.

The call for help also brought in sheets of fabric, which was turned into NHS scrubs by other volunteers.

Busy sorting, and organising… or is that sampling?

Steve Smith, the school head, said: “A spontaneous idea to ask our students and their families to donate a tin of food or two soon became something much bigger. We have come to expect a generosity of spirit in our community, but the response to the Great County Food Drop has been almost overwhelming.

“The unswerving support the initiative has engendered, coupled with help from partner organisations including Guildford’s Salvation Army and Waitrose, has meant we’ve needed more than 30 volunteer members of staff to sort and deliver donations over the weeks.

“It’s an example of the success that can be had when people come together, determined to find creative solutions to problems. We’re immensely proud of everyone involved and we thank them.”

And a friendly message to go with the groceries…

The Great County Food Drop continues until August 27. Anyone who feels generous can deliver non-perishable food and toiletries between 7.30am and 9.15am, every Thursday, at Guildford County School, whose main gates are on the Farnham Road.