Newbury-based foodbank receives £1,000 donation from local developer
The West Berks Foodbank made home deliveries of nutritionally balanced food parcels during the UK’s lockdown
Fran Chamings, project manager, with volunteers Annabel Drury and Lisa Wilson
Submitted by Mark Sheppard
Homebuilder David Wilson Homes Southern have donated £1,000 to a foodbank in Newbury, in Berkshire as part of its Community Fund scheme. The West Berks Foodbank, which is part of the Trussell Trust, has five distribution centres within West Berkshire, and the donation from the Hungerford-based developer will go towards helping those in need as the Covid-19 crisis continues.
Volunteers of the West Berks Foodbank were discreetly making home deliveries of nutritionally balanced food parcels during the UK’s lockdown, to those in financial crisis in Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford, Lambourn and Burghfield Common, and throughout West Berkshire.
Project manager at West Berks Foodbank, Fran Chamings said: “We’re incredibly grateful for the support and we’ve always thought of David Wilson Homes as a local company, so it’s really nice to see the long-term commitments it’s making to the community through its Community Fund scheme. Demand has gone up by 400 per cent since the end of March as people really are struggling to put food on the table, so the donation is a huge gift to us and our clients.
“We’re still receiving kind donations from members of the public, and the contribution from David Wilson Homes will help us to source extras such as washing powder and shampoo for families in need, as well as fresh produce for children where tinned food isn’t suitable.”
The donation supported West Berks Foodbank’s annual Hungry Holidays project with care packages sent to families who don’t have access to free school dinners during the summer break. Earlier in the lockdown period, David Wilson Homes also made a delivery of food items and toiletries to the foodbank’s volunteers whilst greater social distancing measures were in place.
Items donated by the developer included deodorant, shower gel, razors, sponge puddings and tinned fruit - all of which were desperately needed by the foodbank. Other items donated were long-life milk, biscuits, instant coffee, pouches and jars of baby food and confectionery which, in total, equalled that of a seven-day food parcel for a couple.
Paul Crispin, managing director at David Wilson Homes Southern, said: “Following our donation of food and toiletries in the earlier stages of lockdown, we’re proud to offer further support to West Berks Foodbank through our Community Fund scheme. The representatives of the Trussell Trust do an outstanding job in providing emergency supplies to those in need, and we hope our donation will support their admirable work during these testing times.”
West Berks Foodbank is part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK. Now is as significant a time as any to help those living in food crisis and contributions towards West Berks Foodbank will help its volunteers continue to make a difference for many people.
For more information on how to support West Berks Foodbank, visit their website.
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