Manor students host Christmas lunch for senior citizens

Students from a York secondary school have been showcasing their catering, food preparation, art, design and event management skills at a Christmas lunch for more than 100 senior citizens.

Almost 150 Year 10 students from Manor Church of England Academy’s Design Technology, Art & Computing Department were involved in staging this festive event. Catering students planned and prepared a restaurant-standard three-course meal with the Food Preparation and Nutrition students acting as the waiting team for the day. The guests also took away hand-crafted gifts made by Manor’s Product Design students and the Art students created seasonal displays and decorations in the main hall. Live entertainment was provided by Manor’s Performing Arts students whilst the Leadership students put on games including bingo.

The guests were all senior citizens who were invited to attend through a number of churches close to Manor Church of England Academy.

Manor’s Director of Learning – Design Technology, Art & Computing, Rich Cooper said “This event is always wonderful, there’s such a lovely atmosphere and many of our guests return year on year. Hosting events such as these is hugely important for our students as they get a ‘real world’ opportunity to apply the skills and subject knowledge they have learned at a real event with genuine guests and customers. They can then relate to this experience for future coursework elements and exams.

“More importantly, as a school we see this as a very special date in our calendar where we can give something back to the community and take great pleasure in seeing our guests enjoying the event.

“Huge thanks must go to Louise Hill, Subject Leader in Art & Design Technology for organising the event. Thanks also go to the team who do a sterling job in pulling this event together, and to the students who were absolute superstars.”

Manor CE Academy is part of the Hope Learning Trust, York, a growing multi-academy trust for both primary and secondary schools.  A Church of England trust established to bring together church and community schools, Hope now has seven partner schools: Manor Church of England Academy, Vale of York Academy, Barlby High School, Poppleton Ousebank Primary, Burton Green Primary, Forest of Galtres Anglican Methodist Primary and Baldersby St James Primary. The Trust is also currently supporting two secondary schools in Scarborough, George Pindar and Graham School.