PENKETH High School has raised more than £1,500 to support vulnerable families in Warrington this Christmas.

Kind-hearted members of the school decided to set up a fundraising page to provide a helping hand for families in need.

John Carlin, head teacher, explained: "We value our community - it's incredibly important to us - and we wanted to do what we could to support some of our most vulnerable families.

"As a school, we sit at the centre of our school community and felt that we could act to coordinate action."

The school set its fundraising target at £1,000, but quickly exceeded this and has now reached a total of £1,585.

Hearing about the school's hard work, Morrisons' Bolton Harwood store decided to get involved and will be providing food each week in the run up to Christmas.

The school will then create special food packs to support families over the Christmas break.

John continued: "We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity and the sense of community spirit to support others.

"It’s one of the things that is so special about the school, it’s a place where people matter and where we support each other.

"We’re so fortunate to have had such an amazing response and we are grateful to everyone who has contributed and to those who continue to do so.

"After a tough year for everyone, hopefully these generous contributions will ease some of the pressures and allow families to enjoy some time together over Christmas."

Megan Fleming, service manager at Morrisons Bolton Harwood, added: "We are more than a shop for our customers and we're proud to give back to our communities.

"Since the first lockdown, Morrisons has been working closely with charities, schools, and elderly people, and it's great to be able to help so many people.

"Currently I am working closely with my community champion around supporting several schools, one being Penketh High School.

"We know this is a very challenging and overwhelming time, regardless of the current situation, and we will do our bit to help support the most vulnerable."

Due to Penketh High School's fundraising success and the sizeable donations from Morrisons, it is now in a position to support families in other schools across Warrington.