Providing food for families the new norm - school

Principal Elaine Darnbrough said the school wanted to be able to offer families food provision

A school that operates its own food bank has said helping families with the cost of living crisis has become the new norm.

Oasis Academy Short Heath, in Streetly, Birmingham, provides food parcels for families and supports parents with free uniforms, clothes washing and help accessing benefits.

The community hub feeds about 35 families every week, including five families with no connection to the school.

Run by volunteers, including parents, it was set up in the former caretaker’s bungalow in September 2017 and can also be accessed by the wider community.

Principal Elaine Darnbrough told BBC Radio WM: "We know that things can change really quickly, that a family can suddenly find themselves in crisis.

"A lot of our families do have to go into temporary accommodation. Things like washing, things like needing that food provision straight away and clean uniform is something that we want to be able to offer them."

The hub also has a uniform bank, holds free stay and play sessions and runs a cosy coats scheme in the winter.

Christopher Lyons helps to run the food bank as a volunteer

Christopher Lyons, who has a son at the school, is one of the volunteers and said it was not always easy to get parents to accept the help on offer.

He said he saw a mother and a baby crying in the playground, but it took "about an hour" before she spoke to him and he introduced her to people who could help.

"I think I saw her two weeks later and I was absolutely shocked because she jumped all over me and hugged me and I said: 'What's the matter, what's going on?' and she told me I'd saved her life."

Pam Atwal, safeguarding and mental health lead, said the school was "very lucky" to offer support

New research from the University of Bristol found schools in England are now the biggest source of charitable food and household aid for families struggling with the cost of living crisis.

The school leaders at Oasis Academy Short Heath said they were proud to support families in this way and that more schools should follow, because the need was there.

Pam Atwal, the school's safeguarding and mental health lead, said having the support in-house had made a difference to teachers' wellbeing too.

"We’re really lucky that we are able to offer this," she said. "The good thing for teachers is that they’re not frustrated because there isn’t an avenue to signpost those families."

The community hub also acts as a warm space with free stay and play sessions