A GENEROUS donor has provided food vouchers to every free school meal recipient at a primary school in Kidderminster.

Sutton Park Primary RSA Academy in Greatfield Road received a phone call from the donor, who asked to remain anonymous, offering to fund the cost of providing a £15 voucher for every pupil eligible for free school meals.

Headteacher Angela Crawley said she hopes this selfless act - and those of countless others offering to feed children in need this half-term - will put pressure on the government to "do the right thing" and change its mind over the school voucher scheme.

Kidderminster Shuttle: Sutton Park Primary RSA Academy in Kidderminster has received a generous donation from an anonymous donorSutton Park Primary RSA Academy in Kidderminster has received a generous donation from an anonymous donor

"We are absolutely amazed and overwhelmed by this very generous gift to the children of Sutton Park Primary," said Mrs Crawley. "We are part of the RSA family of academies and are built around the principles of social justice, building a better society and doing the right thing. This gift absolutely demonstrates those principles and shows what a fantastic school Sutton Park Primary RSA Academy is.

"We have had several more children become eligible for free school meals recently due to the changing circumstances of parents as a result of the pandemic, and this voucher will be a great support to those families. We are incredibly grateful to our donor and cannot thank them enough."

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Businesses and community groups across Kidderminster, Stourport and Bewdley have pledged their support to Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford's appeal by offering to provide free meals and packed lunches to some of the 5,700 children said to be living in poverty here in Wyre Forest during the school holidays.

It comes after MPs, including Wyre Forest's Mark Garnier, voted down Labour's motion to extend free school meals into the school holidays.

Sutton Park head Mrs Crawley added: "We hope the government changes its mind regarding the provision of free school meal vouchers over the holiday period following the campaign started by Marcus Rashford.

"We know these vouchers make a difference to our families."