Blog - Doncaster Secondary school selected to be Big Issue Changemaker for 2025

Doncaster Secondary school selected to be Big Issue Changemaker for 2025
++ Astrea Academy Woodfields has been commended for its work in tackling food poverty ++
A Doncaster secondary school has won the title of Big Issue Changemaker for 2025.
Astrea Academy Woodfields, part of Astrea Academy Trust, has been selected in the category of Food and Nutrition, on account of the school’s efforts to ensure nothing goes to waste and no one in its community goes hungry.
The Big Issue Changemaker awards are designed to acknowledge those who have not focused on themselves, but on others to make things better.
It is offered as a tribute to the people and organisations who are playing their part in improving the lives of others.
Last term, the Doncaster academy introduced a scheme called Family Dining where all students in Year 7 eat a meal together, serve each other, learn table manners and take part in interesting conversations.
There is also a time of “appreciations”, where students stand up and talk about someone at the school who has helped them. The scheme was featured on BBC Radio Sheffield.
Woodfields also runs daily breakfast clubs to ensure students are ready to start the day ready to learn.
David Scales, principal of Astrea Academy Woodfields, said: “As food prices continue to soar and food banks struggle to cope with rising demand, food poverty is a problem that isn’t going away in the short term.
“Schools have a duty to look after children and students can’t be expected to learn if they’re hungry.
“Ending child poverty is not just our moral mission, it is the key to higher standards and prosperity for all and we are delighted to play our part at Woodfields, through our breakfast clubs and our Family Dining scheme.”
There are a total of 10 categories in the Big Issue Changemakers 2025 scheme: Communities and Equality, Culture and Sport, Environment and Climate, Food and Nutrition, Housing and Homelessness, Health and Disability, Learning and Employment, Media and Campaigns, Politics and Activism and Refugees, Migrants and Asylum Seekers.
In the Food and Nutrition category, Astrea Academy Woodfields joins Maya Amangeldiyeva, Big River Bakery, Food & Solidarity, The Margins Project at Union Chapel, Feeding Communities, Coventry Food Bank, Melanie Hudson and Francklin Evagle KataKata Brixton as winners.
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