Children from Exminster Primary School have raised enough money to feed children at a school in Zambia for a month after a ‘wear what you like day’ they held last month.

Exminster Primary School decided to hold the fundraiser after a visit and assembly talk by local vicar Vanessa Pestridge ,who is a trustee for the Nayamba Trust, the Devon-based charity that supports the school in Zambia.

During the assembly, the children were particularly moved to learn that the only food nearly a third of the Nayamba School pupils eat each day is their school dinner. It costs just £1.40 a month to provide a child with the vitamin and protein enriched porridge they eat for lunch

Exminster Primary School raised over £700 from their mufti day - enough to fund 10,000 meals - with many pupils bringing in more than the suggested £1 donation. Some children, such as Tallulah Partridge (pictured) even donated their own pocket money.

Vanessa and the team of trustees at The Nayamba Trust were delighted with the fundraising. They are now hoping to find another 11 schools to hold similar fundraisers to help raise enough money to fund a year’s worth of school meals.

‘It’s such a simple fundraiser that has a powerful impact,’ Vanessa said. ‘All the children know what they love from school dinners and to realise that they can donate even the cost of a UK school dinner and feed other children for so long is a really powerful message, especially at this time of year,’ she added.

Any schools that participate in fundraising to support the Nayamba School food programme will receive a personalised thank-you video from the children and teachers at Nayamba that they can show in assembly. Contact Nayamba Trust Trustee Tim Pestridge by WhatsApp or text for more information: 07970 556035.