The Coronavirus Appeal: St Saviour's and St Olave's

Schools and students face incredible challenges from the crisis caused by the outbreak of coronavirus. Ranging from challenges on the mental health of students and staff; the need for technology to participate in remote learning to worries of returning to school and the impact on their longer-term studies, this is a difficult time.

Many schools provide a key touchstone for their students and their families in addition to continuing educating the children of key workers. Schools are relied upon heavily, and the increased demand on them means many are struggling to cope.

St Saviour's and St Olave's is an all-girls state school in Southwark that champions fairness and compassion as part of its school values. In the first weeks of the lockdown, responding to news of the PPE shortage to hospitals, the school donated all of its science PPE to local hospitals. As COVID-19 took hold, many students were unable to leave their homes as they became carers for parents unwell or isolating. The school continued to provide lunches for these students and families where possible to ensure they were fed, though funding for this in the interim was scarce.

Due to a grant made by the Merchant Taylors' Foundation, St Saviour's and St Olave's School has been able to continue funding good lunches for 180 pupils whose families couldn’t otherwise afford it every day for a fortnight. These families had empty shelves long before the lockdown. They can’t afford bulk-buy offers and usually have to shop locally where the prices are higher. Some live in temporary accommodation so have limited access to cooking and refrigeration facilities. Others are dealing with illness in the home, and many with loss of jobs and work.