S2 Food bank: Nine-year-old girl with “kind heart” raises almost £1,200 after reading book about food banks

Lily, who was supported by her mum Rachael Briggs, said: “I have been trying to do a good deed and change the way people are living.

“If you don’t know what a food bank is, it’s where people who don’t have enough money to afford to buy food to feed their families can go to get food supplies and other essential items for free.

“My curiosity about this started when I read a book based on real life problems and food banks called The Great Food Bank Heist.”

The Great Food Bank Heist is a book by Onjali Q. Raúf which gives a child’s-eye view of the increasing problem of food poverty.

Earlier this month John Hull, chair of trustees for S2 Food bank, warned that food banks have become an “accepted part of society”.

He said: “When the food bank opened about 10 years ago people thought it would fill a temporary need.

“What’s so sad now is that food banks are part of our high streets. There are 18 across Sheffield and it’s become an accepted part of the way we live. It really ought not to be.”

This comes as the charity Trussell handed out 36,300 emergency food parcels from 15 food banks in Sheffield between April and September.

Rachael said: “In school a lot of the books on offer are about mermaids and unicorns. Lily read this book about a family who need to access a food bank which had information in the back.

“She didn’t even know this was a thing in the UK or that families struggle in Sheffield. I work in a school in S2 and told her about some of the families I work with who rely on help from food banks.

“Lily said ‘we need to do something about this’, and I helped her put a request on our road WhatsApp page for donations. The first one we did received 103 donations and the second one got 70.

“I know these exact numbers because Lily was obsessed with counting them. After this she wanted to raise more money but didn’t want to keep asking the same people so she decided to do a sponsored walk.

“She decided to walk 25 miles over a month to fit around her school and hobbies. She had a goal of £100 which to her is a lot of money.

“We set up a GoFundMe page and she wrote all the information herself. She has managed to raise £1,180 so families in S2 can have a better Christmas.

“I just think it’s amazing and me and her dad are so proud of her. She has such a kind heart. A lot of students her age would read the information and then forget about it.

“As a teacher the fact that this started with the power of reading a book is very special. She wanted to make a difference and it was all her own idea.

“She doesn’t want to stop and is already thinking of what she can do next. She is quite shy and modest and hasn’t shouted about it to her friends. But I know she is incredibly proud of herself.”

To donate to the fundraiser visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fhg7m-food-bank-donations