DOZENS of cans have been brought to school by students who are backing their school’s charity appeal to help feed poverty-stricken families in High Wycombe.

Pupils at The Highcrest Academy, in Hatters Lane, High Wycombe, last year decided to support the One Can Trust – a charity set up to help families in poverty. And they enlisted the support of High Wycombe Mayor Trevor Snaith who helped launch the appeal at the school last November.

As well as the donations of food, the students helped One Can by raising £103.50 at their festive fayre in November.

Emma Bowden, Assistant Headteacher, said this week: "We are pleased with the response so far this charity appeal, but there is still a long way to go to reach our target of 5,000 cans to help local families facing food poverty.

"The students have been inspired by One Can and want to do all they can to help."

At the launch of the initiative last year, a packed assembly was told by One Can’s Sarah Mordaunt how families in the area have hit problems because some salaries have failed to match rising prices of food and fuel.

"People have to go without things that we take for granted – food, electricity and clothes," she said, adding: "One in five children in High Wycombe are living in income poverty."

Any student or parent wishing to donate to the appeal, should bring in their food cans to reception at the academy.