College donates more than £3,500 of supplies to help homeless

We have made an incredible donation to help homeless people in our local area. Thanks to the hard work of staff and students, we’ve collected over £3,500 worth of essential supplies!

Together, we managed to fill 22 rucksacks and 15 carrier bags with winter clothes, toiletries, and food. These will go to the Rucksack Project, a local charity run by Barnsley Churches Drop-in Project, which supports homeless people in our community.

Homelessness is on the rise, with official statistics showing a 10% increase across the UK. Our efforts will help local homeless individuals stay warm and safe during the tough winter months.

Peter Mulrooney, Chairman of Barnsley Churches Drop-in, said: “Those who are homeless, rough sleeping or sofa surfing need essentials like rucksacks, clothes, food, and other items for their day-to-day survival; over time, these things wear out, get damaged, or even stolen, so constant replacement is crucial.

“This generous contribution from the College is truly appreciated. Thanks to the students, staff, and everyone involved—it really shows there’s an understanding of the challenges in Barnsley and the great support from the College in supporting their community.”

Students from various departments, including; Business, Childcare and Health, Engineering, Esport, Finance, Foundation Learning, Hair and Beauty, Human Resources, Leadership and Management, Learning for Living and Work, Safeguarding, Sport, Student Recruitment, Student Services and Barnsley Sixth Form College, came together to support the cause.

Lucy Evans, our Cultural Capital and Personal Development Coordinator, who led the initiative, added: “What began as a plan to fill just five rucksacks quickly exceeded my expectations.

“Thanks to the overwhelming support and generosity of our students and staff, we were able to quadruple our goal, providing 22 rucksacks and 15 extra carrier bags filled with essential supplies for those in need in the community.

“We also want to extend our gratitude to Pat’s for Pants in Barnsley Market for their generous donations of thermal clothing and to ASDA Worsborough for providing extra food that helped fill these rucksacks.”

Principal and CEO, David Akeroyd, commented: “The staff and students involved in gathering these contributions should be so proud. Especially Lucy and the Enterprise Team.

“It’s a testament to our College culture that teams have rallied together and achieved this. I’m sure these rucksacks will make a real difference in our local community.”