Rap star volunteers at east London primary school boosted by deliveries from campaign partner The Felix Project

Rapper Dizzee Rascal has returned to the east London neighbourhood in which he grew up to help distribute meals and food parcels to people in need during the coronavirus crisis.
The star helped volunteers at Bygrove Primary School in Poplar, which is receiving vital supplies from The Independents Help the Hungry campaign appeal partner The Felix Project.
The MC spent his recent visit serving meals to parents and their children, and packing parcels containing enough food to make five meals for a family of four.
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Before the pandemic, the initiative only supplied low-income parents with food during the school holidays. But organisers sprang into action after the lockdown began, by providing 5,000 meals a week to families in Poplar struggling to afford or access food.
Mark Causton, manager of the schools initiative, said: The Felix Project have been an immense help I cant praise them enough. We know well need to carry on this work right through the summer, so we reply on all the fresh food theyre supplying.
The Felix Project, which is delivering daily to hundreds of food banks and community projects across London, began helping the school by delivering one or two trays of fresh produce and staple items each week.
The food surplus charity has since increased the weekly supply to 40 trays full of food to help school organisers cope with the huge demand.
Mr Causton said: Weve seen a lot of parents furloughed or losing work over the past couple of months. In the case of some families struggling to afford to buy shopping, this is one of their only sources of getting food for their children.
He added: It was really great to have Dizzee Rascal here helping out. He got stuck in, and got on so well with all the volunteers and all the families. It was just nice to see a smile on a lot of peoples faces.
The schools programme is also given regular supply of food from Kitchen Social, a Mayors Fund for London programme.
Dizzee Rascal hands out food to families at Poplar primary school (PA)
I was given an amazing opportunity to visit and help out Kitchen Social at Bygrove Primary School in Poplar, who are providing free food, books and school equipment to kids in the local area where I grew up, said Dizzee Rascal.
Thank you to all the amazing people I met and thanks Mayors Fund for London for connecting the dots.
The Help the Hungry appeal, in partnership with our sister title the Evening Standard, has now raised more £6.5 million for The Felix Project. We are two-thirds of the way towards fulfilling our pledge of raising £10 million for our appeal partner.
The Independent is encouraging readers to help groups that are trying to feed the hungry during the crisis find out how you can help here. Follow this link to donate to our campaign in London, in partnership with the Evening Standard.