26th Milton Keynes Coniston Cub Scout have worked hard to give back to two local charities this term, helping to support the MK Food Bank and The Winter Night Shelter MK.

At a pack forum the start of the autumn term, the Cubs picked charities from the local community that they wanted to support. Our pack chose four local charities: Harry’s Rainbow, Willen Hospice, MK Food Bank and Winter Night Shelter MK to support over the rest of the school year.

So that we can give each of the Cub’s chosen charities our maximum effort and creativity, we decided to focus on two of these, Winter Night Shelter MK and MK Food Bank in the lead up to Christmas this year.

Reverse advent calendar for MK Food Bank

Coniston Cubs and leaders collected pantry food items and Christmas treats to go in hampers as part of MK Food Bank’s reverse advent calendar Christmas 2021 appeal.

Bagheera’s cat not included in donation

The whole pack banded together in their efforts. By the time December rolled around, the Cubs had collected enough food to totally fill the boot and back seat of Bagheera’s car, overspilling two big shopping trolleys when we delivered it to the Food Bank!

Charlie, Jessica and the leaders present the pack’s donation

All the leaders are so impressed and proud of the efforts that Coniston Cubs have put into assembling the donation for MK Food Bank. (Akela says: Super well done Cubs!)

Even though we’d been allowed on a special tour, MK Food Bank is an important working warehouse and we were only allowed to bring a small group with us. So, our Sixers were chosen to represent the pack when we dropped off the donation. Charlie and Jessica had the privilege of meeting Louisa, Manager of MK Food Bank. She showed them round and invited them to help sort some of the food, which was hard work and a lot of fun!

Louise explained how food is collected in to MK Food Bank, organised by type, re-sorted according to best before dates, packed into parcels, and delivered to families all around Milton Keynes. One food parcel can feed one person for three meals a day, for three days! At the end of the tour, Louise gave Sixers a little present to say thank you for volunteering. :0)

Akela says: “The MK Food Bank is an amazing charity that helps to support people in all walks of life and who are in need, and therefore it greatly values donations and support from everyone. Together we can all help to make a big difference!”

Kind messages and biscuits for Winter Night Shelter MK

Akela and Bagheera were both busy baking biscuits before the session, making dozens of vanilla and chocolate shortbreads for the Cubs to decorate (…and eat!).

Thanks to GSL Jenny, we had LOTS of sprinkles and icing pens, as well as felt tips and other resources donated from 5th Dunstable Scouts for Coniston Cubs to use. (Thank you Jenny!)

The Cubs allowed their creativity to shine forth as they drew beautiful Christmas cards for the guests at Winter Night Shelter MK, and wrote heartfelt Christmas messages for them.

Top art skills from our cubs as they design their cards

They also decorated as many shortbread biscuits as they could, until our Christmassy trays were all full up. (Of course, the Cubs had to taste a few biscuits at the end of the session too, just to quality control and check they tasted good!)

Icing and sprinkles everywhere. Literally!
An awful lot of shortbread!

By the end of the session, two trays of decorated biscuits and many cards were ready for delivery to the Winter Night Shelter MK ! These were dropped off next day at their Unity Station centre by GSL Jenny, Akela and Bagheera. Their volunteers immediately helped to serve the biscuits to their guests, who greatly enjoyed them alongside a warm cuppa.

Gratefully received – the Cubs’ efforts are served up at Winter Night Shelter MK !
Russell, Fundraising Manager for the Winter Night Shelter MK, said: “Thank you very much for baking the fantastic biscuits. Our guests will enjoy them today, tomorrow and for the rest of the week. Once again, thank you very much. Winter Night Shelter MK does not take your help for granted. Have a good Christmas. Thank you.”