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Students, staff and volunteers at a Sleaford primary school collected hundreds of foil crisp packets to create a dozen ‘bivvy’ bags for homeless people to keep warm and sleep in.

It all came out of a teaching assistant, Sam McKenna, at William Alvey School, noticing how many crisp packets the children get through in their lunch hour.

She researched how to make better use of this waste and discovered The Crisp Packet Project.

A whole day last week was dedicated to over 400 Key Stage Two pupils, guided by staff, St George’s Academy sixth formers and parent volunteers, taking turns to help form 12 foil bivvy bags from the washed and trimmed packets by applying heat from irons to bond them together into strips. Thirty strips were joined to make up an insulating, outer waterproof liner for a sleeping bag for a homeless person, which can double as dry storage for belongings in the day time.

L-R (back) parent Joy Knight, St George’s sixth former Libby Gallett, teaching assistant Meagan Kendrick, parent Sasha Harvey, teacher Mary Purchase, (front) Kamilla, Ellie, Zach and Gracie, all aged eight.

Year Three Team Leader, Mary Purchase, explained: “It literally takes a second with the iron to bond the packets then we cover them in clear plastic for an extra waterproof layer – we were donated a lot of bags that mattresses come in.”

The children have spent a couple of months collecting, cutting and sorting the packets.

"They were really excited knowing they would be making a difference to someone’s life,” she said.

Sleaford school children's crisp packets help homeless people