Onchan School pupils have helped the homeless and the hungry.

They were inspired to donate food and household items to Isle of Man Foodbank and Housing Matters after spotting a similar collection at Douglas town hall.

Pupils had visited the town hall to hold a special sitting of their school council.

Douglas Mayor Debbie Pitts and Mayoress Linda Curphey had begun a collection to help those in food and housing crisis.

Mrs Pitts said: ’On learning about what the mayoress and I were doing, the pupils decided that, when the school celebrated their harvest festival, they would donate boxes for us to distribute to the two charities.

’We went to the school to see how they were doing and were shown around by deputy head girl Scarlett Kirkwood and head boy Matthew Eison.

’We heard how all the classes were learning about homelessness - about the difference between what we need and what we want - and how we can all help to make a difference to the lives of people in crisis.’

She added: ’The children had clearly put a lot of effort into the project and we offered our sincere thanks to them, their parents and the teachers for their support.’

The mayor and mayoress were joined by Onchan Commissioners’ chairman Anthony Allen. The Onchan authority had donated its harvest items to the Isle of Man Foodbank.

Mrs Pitts thanked head teacher Jo Richardson, teacher Caley Corkill and all the staff ’for their willingness to tackle such a difficult subject’.