A WORCESTER teacher who hand-delivered meal vouchers and laptops to pupils during lockdown has received an award from the Prime Minister.

Assistant headteacher of Nunnery Wood High School, Andrew Raistrick, has been awarded a UK Points of Light Award for his work with local supermarkets to create meal parcels for hundreds of families, and for delivering more than 400 donated laptops to his pupils during lockdowns over the past year.

In a personal letter to him, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "It is astonishing how teachers have adapted to the challenges of the pandemic and done an extraordinary job to continue educating the nation’s children over the last year. What is even more astonishing is how you have gone above and beyond the demands of your day job as assistant headteacher.

“I was delighted to learn from your MP Robin Walker how much you have done to support your pupils and their families."

Mr Raistrick, from Worcester said: “I am absolutely delighted to be the recipient of the Points of Light award.

"I am very humbled to receive this honour and I want to share this recognition with every member of staff working in schools across the country, who have worked so hard during the pandemic, to make sure our students can access high quality education and who have supported families who may be struggling at this difficult time."

"The work our school has been able to do would not be possible without all the staff at Nunnery Wood High School who helped me prepare and deliver laptops for students, collected food donations and distributed food parcels. I am very proud to be part of such an incredible team.”

Headteacher Stephen Powell said: “Everyone at Nunnery Wood High is delighted that Andy’s support for the school community is being recognised at the very highest level.

"Even within the context of a Nunnery team who worked hard to help our students and their families, Andy’s tireless work through weekends and holidays was exceptional. We thank Robin Walker too, both for his help during the pandemic and for helping Andy to be recognised by the Prime Minister.”

The Points of Light award recognises outstanding individual volunteers who are making a change in their community, with the PM picking an inspirational person daily for the award.

First established by President George H. W. Bush in 1990, over 6,000 US Points of Light have been recognised in the USA. UK Points of Light was developed in partnership with the US programme and launched in the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street in April 2014.