Students Join Forces With Businesses To Spread The Christmas Cheer

Catering students put their culinary talents to good use by cooking a free festive Christmas feast for 55 elderly residents, using ingredients supplied by local Chelmsley Wood businesses.

Budding chefs from Grace Academy Solihull produced a gourmet spread for the local community with donations from businesses in the Poolway Shopping Centre, giving them valuable experience in catering for large events.

Guests were also treated to a viewing of the Christmas movie, ‘A Wonderful Life’ starring James Stewart, and Valerie Wiggin, one of the local residents, said:

“To be invited to an event like this is unusual and I never knew anything like this existed.  It does you good to get out and the pupils are so kind and it’s a lovely school.  I was surprised it was all free.”

Another guest, Mary Harris, added:

“We have had so many smiles and welcomes.  We arrived to homemade scones and biscuits.  I’ve never been to anything like this before but it was lovely that students were so interested and enthusiastic.  I hope we can do it all again next year.”

Among the businesses helping to spread the Christmas cheer were J Staples Butchers who supplied the pork, Poolway Electrical and Hardware who supplied a donation for drinks, Poolway Cash and Carry who donated table decorations and Asda who contributed crackers, chocolates and other table goodies.

Denise Danks, Community Life Champion from Asda, Chelmsley Wood, said:

“Some of these people don’t see a soul from one week to the next so it’s so good for them to come out and mingle with their own age group and the younger generation.  There are a lot of elderly people in Chelmsley Wood and we should make more of an effort to reach out as Christmas can be a lonely time for people.”

Simon Chalk, Food Technology Teacher at Grace Academy Solihull, commented:

“It’s really good for the students to give something back to the local community and interact with local residents during the festive season, spreading some Christmas cheer.  The event has also helped the Year 10 and 12 catering and hospitality students who need the experience of catering for large-scale events as part of their course.  Some of our students have taken on the Head Chef role, and others have been involved in the managerial side.”