A REDDITCH pet food charity has finally found a home in the town after it appealed to the public for help.
Charity worker, Anita Hughes-Arthur, set up Animal Food Bank Support UK in March 2023 to help everyday people with the cost of pet food, and recently won volunteer of the year at the Animal Star Awards.
Since launching the group has helped thousands of animals and their families across Redditch, Bromsgrove and the wider West Midlands.
Anita said: “Since losing my bulldog Bessie and seeing how the crisis with animals was going, I wanted to do something to help.
“I’ve seen people have to give up their pets due to not being able to afford to keep them.”
Anita runs the group with her fellow charity worker Robert Miller.
She added: “Together we are successfully building a fantastic group who we help by supplying food for their animals.
“Our aim is to try and stop a few pets going into shelters – if we can support some people so they are able to keep their beloved pets then a good deed is done.”
The charity were struggling with a lack of storage space and, as the demand for the pet supplies continues to grow, it has become difficult to collect, sort and distribute the donations so many vulnerable pet owners rely on.
Anita added: “When we started this charity we never imagined where this journey would take us.
“Since then, with the incredible support of our volunteers, donors, supporters, corporate partners and everyone who has believed in us, we’ve now provided over 150,000 meals to pets whose families are facing financial hardship.
“This unit is so much more than four walls.
“It will become a place where donations are received, sorted and distributed, where volunteers can collect stock, where partnerships can grow, and where we can continue expanding our support.”
