Students Cook up a Special Delivery for the Local Community

Posted 29th December 2016

Duke of Edinburgh Students at Slated Row School in Wolverton are going the extra mile for their Volunteering  strand by running a Meals on Wheels project for members of the local community. Each week, pupils cook and deliver hot meals to a group of elderly residents living near the Special Needs School.

“More usually, it is our students who the beneficiaries of volunteer projects so this is a wonderful opportunity for them to make a valuable contribution to the local community” says Sarah Garratt, D of E manager at the school. As well as using their lunch break to deliver the meals, the students prepare a variety of dishes from Boeuf Bourguignon to a full Christmas dinner so they are able to polish up their cooking skills at the same time as meeting one of the four elements of the Bronze Award.

The school used their links to the local Church to enlist a group of willing recipients for the meals, one of whom is a former dinner lady from the school. Other local support has come from the Stony Stratford-based restaurant, Passage to India, who has generously provided take-away containers for the meals.

“The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme has challenged our students and developed their resilience in preparation for life after Slated Row School. The Meals on Wheels project is an excellent way for our pupils to raise their confidence and interact with the local community.” Jonathan Budd, Headteacher of Slated Row School.