Henrietta Izundu, Katija Ali and Nicola Longford at Duncombe Primary School

THE in-house food bank used by a third of parents at a Finsbury Park primary school will run out of supplies before Christmas without an urgent injection of funds.

The food bank at Duncombe Primary School was set up during the pandemic, when teachers delivering hot lunches to pupils’ homes realised there were many families that needed extra support.

Every other week since then, any parent that needs it has been able to collect essentials like tinned tomatoes, rice, pasta and toiletries from the school.

One mother, Henrietta Izundu, who has three children at Duncombe, told the Tribune the service has been a vital back-up for her family.

“When things go up and down financially, the kids don’t have to feel it because there’s that food kept aside, so it’s been a very good thing for us.

“The first time I went, I wanted to hide my bag or quickly run off, but I said to myself, ‘you need this. It’s for the kids. Don’t be ashamed. You’re just in a rough patch and you’re not the only one. It’s not going to be like this forever’.”

The food bank shelves are getting thin

At Duncombe, more than 60 per cent of pupils receive free school meals – compared with a national average of around 26 per cent – and head of school Katija Ali estimates a third of parents at the school have used the food bank, and around 20 parents rely on it regularly.

Ms Ali said: “Our parents appreciated those deliveries of hot food [during the pandemic] just as much as, if not more than, their child’s home learning. Parents spoke about what a lifesaver it was and it really highlighted the need.”

She explained that having the food bank at school makes it easier – and less stigmatising – for parents to use.

“Time is at a premium, so when you have parents with lots of children and lots of childcare, to have it all at a place you have to go to every day anyway is very helpful,” Ms Ali added.

In the early days the school raised money from the community and chipped in from its own budget, but “we’re now completely relying on donations to keep serving our parents in the way we want to,” Ms Ali said.

With the shelves almost empty, Duncombe governors Nicola Longfoot and Rachel Kinnock are fundraising to replenish supplies in time for the holidays – and beyond.

You can donate here: https://tinyurl.com/duncombefood