HASLINGDEN High School pupils are leading by example after setting up a cookery club to feed homeless people.

Students, led by teacher Lisa Southee, make hot meals and collect sleeping bags and warm clothing to distribute to those who find themselves sleeping rough.

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They have teamed up with the Manchester-based charity Coffee4Craig, which has praised the youngsters.

Miss Southee initiated the Care to Cook? club after being impressed with the group’s work in supporting those with mental health issues and substance addictions.

She said: “We do such a lot at Haslingden throughout the year and especially leading up to Christmas. And through our charity group our students and their families are always very generous. We mostly raise money for local charities. I thought this was a good cause for us to support.

The club meets on Mondays, and the pupils are holding a weekly home-made cake sale to cover the cost of the catering.

The keen cooks said they were delighted to join a cookery club with a purpose, with staff and students all contributing ingredients. Nuala Kearney, 12, said: “When I saw what the club was about I liked the idea of helping others and not just doing something for myself; that’s greedy.

“I felt happy that I had actually helped to make the food for someone who is not as well off as I am. I go to Manchester often and have seen homeless people and have given them spare change. Being able to give them food is even better.”

Coffee4Craig was set up by Risha Lancaster and her wife Fie after Risha’s brother, Craig White, died in September 2013 while sleeping rough. Risha said: “The food from Rossendale arrived just at the right time because we had almost run out and so it helped us to be able to feed even more people.

“It is important that young people get involved because they are our politicians of the future, our policemen and our workers and it is good that they have empathy and understand these issues because hopefully they will be the ones who solve this in the future.”