A group of first-year degree Criminology and Criminology with Psychology students have been busy raising money to support students in-need at the college.

As part of their courses, the nine students have come together to plan a series of fundraising events to help re-stock the college’s ‘Grab and Go’ foodbank. Their first event - a bake sale on Monday - raised an impressive £115 in just one morning, with more planned over the coming weeks in the lead up to Christmas including a raffle with a number of fantastic prizes to be won and a tombola.

The Criminology department - staff and students - supports this worthy cause every year in the hope that no student at the college goes hungry, especially so in the colder months and with Christmas drawing near.

Reflecting on the fundraising efforts, student Mollie-Mae Ellerington said: “Part of our course requires us to do some sort of fundraising or volunteering work and we thought that helping to raise awareness of and funds for the college’s ‘Grab and Go’ food store would be a fantastic thing to do.

“As Christmas time approaches, it’s important to remember that not everyone is as fortunate as many of us are. I myself was legally defined as homeless for a period of 15 months but thankfully I’ve managed to get myself into a position where I can now give back. It’s nice to be able to help others and repay the support I was given.

“We’ve raised £115 from the first bake sale and the final total definitely exceeded our initial expectations, which is obviously really pleasing. We really did have an excessive amount of cakes, buns and biscuits but thankfully we managed to sell the majority of them. That’s gone now, but we’ve got more exciting fundraising opportunities to come and we’re looking forward to raising more money to help what is such a worthy cause here at the college.”

Course tutor Odette Smyth added: “It has been inspiring to see students integrate this important issue into their course and work together to help those in need of support. No student should be going hungry at any time of the year, let alone Christmas, and to see a group of our students take it upon themselves to raise vital funds to support such a worthwhile project is great to see.”

The ‘Grab and Go’ foodbank is open to students at the college in need of help and support and is located in the Student Services Hub in room L02.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Hull College foodbank can do so by bringing donations to the Student Services Hub.

Pictured are students: Alice, Kira, Mary, Mollie, Billy-Jean, Jo, Bella, Katie and Alexa.

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