This is a good idea

In Italy anyone on benefits get food tokens to spend in supermarkets.  Alcohol is of course banned.  From what I could see there didn't seem to be any stigma attached to this method.

(Of course, without wishing to get too political I think we can all agree at least that the hugely increased need for food banks is a national disgrace.)

I am not sure how much the true need has increased in recent times and how much there has always been a great need not met in quite such a high profile way. 

My youngest daughter occasionally uses a community cafe in Leigh with her two children (7 and 8) where you can pay what you can afford. A lot of produce is donated by M&S and also Lidl. 

She also buys veg from there as it is cheaply sold from surplus donations. 

I now see that the school referred to by myself in my post on page 1 has relented following representations from the pupils. I'm not sure whether the pupils fulfilled the remit or if the Head came under too much pressure to change her mind. I hope it was the former.

 knowing schools, I would suspect the latter.

We live in what would probably be considered a fairly prosperous area, ET. I have friends who are involved with two local rotary clubs and, through them,  the Trussell Trust which runs food banks. Their estimate is that the number of families being referred to them has more than tripled over the past 5 years.

Yes I am aware of the increases Steve but unsure how much of it is due to an increase in outlets due to social internet groups highlighting the need as opposed to a true greater need. The need has long been there.

My youngest has managed for 8 years on a low income with first one son and then for the last 7 years as a single mother of two. She was not entitled to some other credits previously due to her high level of savings.

She received a family tax payments for the two lads but, if she moves, will loose that under the new rules. She used to make extra money by wombling, collecting discarded receipts outside supermarkets and that paid for most of her weekly shop. That I think is no longer an option I believe. She now makes around £100 a week doing on-line surveys and is thereby able to get tax credit for working over 16 hours a week. 

Our local foodbank is a Trussell one, M. 

The staff say the number of referrals has definitely increased here.

Actually, CS, it wouls appear to have been the response from the children who took on board the request from the teachers. So well done them and the school.

looking at what the school said:

But after hundreds of emails and letters "making a strong case" for jingling the bells and bringing back the baubles, the school relented.

Head teacher Richard Bramley said: "Those students who really thought about the situation and challenged the decision appropriately created the change and brought back Christmas"

Did Christmas go away btw?

from my point of view and experience that is typical school diplomatic climb down speak. The school's head would not want to be called scrooge, or have it's head above the parapet for an osfted visit (it is due one very soon) and saw that it was in the national spotlight. and coming out in a very negative way to most?

Also if the head of RE who stated (RE teacher Chris Paul said) "an avalanche of commercialisation" had robbed the season of its meaning, now if he actually believes that then he hasn't really done his job very well has he?

I would also  guess that many of these letters would have pointed out that as the school has not made any similar statements or approaches to other religious festivals (imagine a school saying it would 'ban' a religious event from the Muslim or Jewish faith?) then it is targeting Christianity? again think ofsted. Why should staff, parents and students have to justify having cards, presents, parties...

If this was a Catholic school I could understand it saying that but a secular school should it try and make a stand like this?

I'm not disagreeing that for most Christmas has two different meanings and perhaps what is has become is OTT by the way just saying that this school's approach could be incorrect?

Thanks for your reply CS. I'm not that bothered as I'm an Atheist so the true meaning of Christmas doesn't hold the same religious connotations for me. However I do believe in respecting all religions with certain reservations which I don't think we could go into on this forum due to the T & Cs.

I was quite pleased that someone seemed to be asking their pupils to look beyond their normal perceptions of Christmas and try to have them bring a reasoned argument about the true meaning of the day, I really cannot see a problem with asking the same question of any faith and as I understand it most faiths could have withstood the same request, without anyone getting all P.C. about it. I see nothing wrong with asking children to engage in reasoned debate.