Trinity Church of England High School has become one of our inspiring Wood Street Heroes, with a connection to Wood Street Mission that runs deep. As they shared, “Trinity Church of England High School was created in 1984 as an answer to the economic and social conditions within Manchester at the time and the school was seen as a beacon of hope for the whole community. Wood Street Mission is therefore an organisation that resonates strongly with the school’s vision and values of empathy, compassion and living hope.” Since 2021, their school-wide charity focus has been the Wood Street Mission Christmas Gift Appeal, where “Students, Parents and Staff donate gifts through the House System at Trinity,” and more recently, “the web donation page… has increased the community’s engagement even further.”

For Trinity, the most rewarding part is the excitement that builds across the whole school as Christmas approaches. They told us, “Last year, our house captains became ‘House Elves’ collecting gifts from forms – a role they took on with real festive spirit!” As educators, they find it incredibly meaningful to see students so engaged and to know that “they understand the positive impact of giving a gift, so that another young person, not so different from them, can open a gift on Christmas Day.”

Their whole-school approach is intentional and inclusive. “We got our team involved… by bringing the whole school community together and using all our communication channels,” they explained. Messages were shared “during assemblies, on noticeboards, and in form time,” while parents and the wider community were kept updated “through our online communication tools and newsletters.”

When reflecting on the reality that 93,000 children in Manchester and Salford are living in poverty, Trinity’s message is clear: “It is a shocking statistic that cannot be ignored… If we can all approach our community with empathy and compassion, connect with others in society and support initiatives such as Wood Street Mission then we can all contribute to a positive change and work towards a brighter future.” And to anyone considering supporting Wood Street Mission, they offer heartfelt encouragement: “Supporting Wood Street Mission is incredibly rewarding… The team at Wood Street are fantastic to work with and show real care and determination in the work they do to support others.”

Looking ahead, Trinity hopes to continue this partnership for many years to come, sharing, “We hope to continue supporting Wood Street Mission as our Christmas charity each year. We would also love the opportunity to work with them on other initiatives in the future that support children and families across Manchester.”

Congratulations on being a Wood Street Hero 2025 and thank you for your dedicated support to Wood Street Mission!