A nine-year-old boy from Jarrow has donated his free time for the past five years to support a food bank, which has won The King’s Award for Voluntary Services.
Marley Curtis is in Year 4 at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, which is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, and loves nothing more than rolling up his sleeves and supporting his local community.
The school’s Mini Vinnies and RE Ambassadors collect donations for the food bank throughout the year, including during the Harvest Festival, and for the past five years Marley has also been a Mini Volunteer supporting Bede’s Helping Hands Food Bank, giving up his free time in school holidays to continue his voluntary work.
Marley said: ‘I love to help at Bede’s Helping Hands Food Bank and this award has made me so happy. It is good to be kind and to help others.”
The food bank donates toys and clothes to families living on the estate and also offers support to families in school when needed with food parcels and support during the half-term holidays.
Tracy Beaton, who runs Bede’s Helping Hands Food Bank, said: “Marley continues to help us throughout the school holidays and really enjoys his time with us and also helping people. Marley often prepares food parcels for us, stacks the shelves, comes on donation collections, and helps us at Christmas, Easter and Halloween.”
Proud Jen Colley, head of school at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, added: “We are incredibly proud of Marley for receiving this amazing award, which recognises not only his hard work but also his dedication to helping others through his volunteer work at the local food bank.
“He truly embodies our school motto of being Ready, Respectful, and Safe – always prepared to make a difference, showing kindness and respect in his actions, and contributing to a safer, stronger community. He is an inspiration to us all and a shining example of the values we stand for.”
Last November Bede’s Helping Hands won The Kings Award for Voluntary Services. Along with other Bede’s Helping Hands volunteers, Marley received a crystal trophy to commemorate his voluntary work.
For more information about St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, visit www.stmarysjarrow.co.uk
For more information about BCCET, visit www.bccet.org.uk