CHILDREN at Nyland Campus have been emptying their cupboards to help those in Swindon who are in need.

On Wednesday, the school held its annual Harvest Day, with children bringing in a vast array of food.

All of the items collected will be donated to the Swindon Foodbank, which hands out parcels of food to those who are struggling.

There was a wide variety of items, ranging from pasta sauces to baked beans, to cereals and rice.

During the day, the pupils were joined by parents for a number of activities.

Becky O’Brien, the headteacher at Nyland, which caters for primary aged children with social, mental and emotional health needs, said the day was a big success.

She said: “We celebrated our harvest festival which was attended by some families of our children.

“Each class had a letter from the word harvest, decorated the letter and shared an activity with the rest of the school.

“This harvest festival finished with one of the classes sharing a loaf of bread they had made together with all the school.”

The day was a big success and Becky said she was grateful for the generosity of all the families who donated.

She said: “It was wonderful to share this time together as a school and to give thanks at harvest time for the food around us.

“All children brought in food from home which we have donated to the Swindon Foodbank so we are thinking about those who do not have as much as us this harvest time. It was a great effort and evidence of an enriched education here at Nyland Campus.”

Harvest represents a busy time for the foodbank as they receive donations from across the town. In 2013 they were given more than 17 tonnes.

Amy Bracey, the assistant project manager at Swindon Foodbank, said: “All the food collected will go to people in Swindon who are having a challenging time and struggling to put food on the table.

“We at the foodbank, and I’m sure the people who receive the food, are very grateful for people’s generosity.

“The harvest period is a busy time for us as we get donations from schools and churches across the town.

“We have already had several tonnes of food so it looks like there is going to be as much this year as last year which is fantastic.”