PUPILS at a Newport school collected more than 280 items of dried food towards a harvest appeal.

St Julian’s School challenged its year seven pupils to collect as many tins, cans or packets of dried food as its 247 pupils in the year.

They rose to the challenge collecting over 280 items in ten days.

Twelve pupils, representing each tutor group, delivered the boxes filled with goods to St Julian’s Methodist Church on Friday during its harvest appeal.

Pupil’s handed the donations to Margaret Smith, manager of the Newport-based Raven House Trust, a charity that helps individuals and families in crisis by providing emergency food parcels to bridge the gap when the unexpected happen.

The challenge was the idea of the school’s former head teacher Steve Marshall who is the church secretary.

Hilary Collins, the school’s learning resource centre manager, said: “When we set them the challenge we talked about how it is very important to learn but also how to be part of a caring member of the community.”

She added: “I am so proud of them. They are a real credit to the school.”