The team at Newgate Business Consulting have been working with DAT Operations Shared Services colleagues for a number of months to document the best ways of working and putting in place foundations for longer term continuous improvement and service excellence. This combined effort is to make the trust a better place for staff, and most importantly the students.
The ever-increasing cost of living is challenging and is forcing families to take tough decisions – and Newgate have recently donated a year’s worth of free school meals for a child at the Dixons Manningham academy in their efforts to support the community.
Terri Leighton, Principal at Dixons Manningham says “we have so many vulnerable students due to a range of factors – high deprivation, low income, overcrowding and a high crime rate. As a result, many families struggle on a day-to-day basis. Families and our Academy overcome these challenges through having a strong community that helps and supports each other.”
Terri explains, “The donation of a year’s worth of free meals for a child makes such a difference, but with so many deserving cases we had to put all the names in a hat and draw one out!”
Miss Kopera was absolutely delighted to get the new that she was the winner, we talked to her to find out a bit more:
“As a single, working mum, with two kids (one my own son 9 years old, the other my nephew 12 years old) money is really tight. I have to be really smart with what I get in, there’s no room for luxuries! We walk everywhere, we don’t go out for meals but eat at home. There’s no choice in what we eat, it comes down to what’s on offer. They’re growing boys and given the chance they eat and eat and eat. Up to now both boys have been having packed lunches, but saving this money on my youngest means I can afford a hot meal for my nephew. With them both having a hot healthy meal at school now, I can spend less on meals at night and put the heating on! This will really help me to meet all the growing costs that we’re facing – Thank you so much.”
“Thank you for the kind donation, every donation helps, we’re seeing an increase in packed lunches at present”, comments Terri. “Once upon a time we were proud of the healthy choices our parents were making, when giving packed lunches, but now it’s just a case of something, anything to eat.”
“We know how damaging a lack of nutrition can be for growing children, it reduces their ability to concentrate, to process information and their long term health, so we do all we can to help. We’re always looking at how to increase funding and now provide free breakfast and free fruit to every child in school.”
But more needs to be done, no child should ever be cold or hungry.
What strikes the Newgate team the most is the wider impact. It’s not just a donation for a free school meal, it’s an opportunity to provide a hot meal to another family member, or an opportunity to help ease the decision to put the heating on. And that’s why we encourage businesses to do the same and help out their community too.
If you’re interested in providing a donation that will give a child free, healthy, warm, school meals for a year, please get in touch with…