A big thank you to Academy staff

Senior leaders at Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust (DMAT) delivered wellbeing packages to staff at all 17 of their schools recently, thanking them for their incredible efforts during the third national lockdown.

The wellbeing packages were personally paid for by senior leaders at DMAT to show their appreciation for the outstanding work being done by members of staff to keep schools open to vulnerable children and children of key workers, and provide remote learning support to all students studying from home. Included in the packages were an assortment of treats such as fruit, different types of tea and biscuits.

Waitrose, Okehampton, also inspired by the hard work of teachers and school staff, kindly matched the wellbeing packages being provided by the senior leaders which meant they were filled with twice as many treats.

Waitrose team manager Steve Pearce coordinated the store’s efforts and ensured extra care went into each package before arranging their delivery.

Senior leaders at DMAT, which has 17 schools across the region and welcomed their new CEO Dan Morrow at the beginning of the school term, thought it was the very least they could do to celebrate the staff’s kindness and dedication to support children and families both educationally and pastorally throughout this challenging period.

Ed Finch, trust champion at DMAT who personally delivered the seventeen wellbeing packages across schools in the Trust, said: ‘This was just a small way to say thank you to the teachers, teaching assistants, office staff, cleaners and all the other people who have helped keep our schools open to the children and young people who really need to be there, and create a remote learning offer for the pupils at home.

‘Our staff have been working so hard in such challenging circumstances and we wanted them to know how much we value their hard work. It was lovely to have a chance to visit all our schools and to witness their commitment to their children and communities. We are very lucky in the school leaders and staff we have at DMAT.’

Dan Morrow, new chief executive Officer at DMAT, said: ‘To us it was the least we could do to show in our actions as well as words just how much we care for, value and appreciate all of our teams – the site staff, admin, teachers and support all have a massive part to play in this national emergency.

‘We are grateful that Waitrose supported us in matching what the executive team contributed: this was our way of saying thank you and quickly became the community’s way of acknowledging their pride of their schools. Sincere thanks to Waitrose for being the community leader it is.’