The Barking, Dagenham and Havering Trades Union Council (BDHTUC) has donated a combined 500 stationery and holiday packs to schools across Barking and Dagenham.

Launched in January, BDHTUC secretary Susan Aitouaziz described the initiative as "an act of social solidarity" intended to remedy educational inequality.

Fast forward three months and the unions have raised more than £2,500 to help 16 schools in the borough.

The contributions - from both union groups and individual trade unionists - allowed BDHTUC to buy 300 stationery packs and 200 holiday packs.

Alongside stationery, the holiday packs also included paints, brushes, chalk, skipping ropes, bean bags, flying saucers, rainbow wands and skipping hoops.

Among the schools to benefit was the James Cambell Primary School in Dagenham.

Describing the gesture as "amazing", learning mentor Lisa Marshall said the donation has "made a lot of children happy".

The packs were also well received by pupils at Barking's Ripple Primary School, according to Jenny Wilson from the school's inclusion team.

The initiative was launched when pupils were still learning from home, a reality which Susan believes made educational inequalities "more obvious than ever before".

The school where she teaches - Hunters Hall Primary School - also received the packs.

While "extremely pleased" with the donation drive, the secretary lamented the need for such gestures.

Similar schemes have been led by the National Education Union (NEU) in its districts.

"It is a shameful fact that not all of our children were able to continue their learning at home," Susan added.

A teacher at the Dagenham school for 30 years, she also believes schools are under huge pressure to help bridge resourcing gaps.

"Our schools are often left to pick up the pieces when services in the community close or lose their funding."

Among the donors was a Retired Members' branch of Unite, whose treasurer Tony Briscoe is also the BDHTUC president.

It gave £250 towards the initiative and Tony said he and his fellow officers - some of whom are in their eighties and nineties - supported the gesture.

"They agree that it is vital to make sure the next generation is educated to the best possible standard," he added.