A MASSIVE community effort involving local people and businesses will mean 133 needy families in Studley, Alcester and surrounding villages will not go hungry this Christmas.
Organised by Arden Foodbank and supported by the Co-op Stores in Studley and Crabbs Cross, who each donated £250, it means families will receive a ‘practical bag’ filled full of essentials, and a ‘goodies bag’ with things like Christmas puddings and oranges.
“Everyone has been fantastic, all the supermarkets and local businesses and the community too,” said Donna Haggerty, Co-op Pioneer Champion for the area.
“We have a community fund and the managers of both stores were glad to be working with the Arden Foodbank.
“The manager of Studley Co-op gave us two trolleys and it was literally like a supermarket sweep, we went through the store and just piled the food up.”
She added that local businesses were also helping by making sure close to sell by date goods went to the Arden Foodbank.
“The foodbank started planning for Christmas back in October when it became clear that the Government was not going to provide alternatives to school meals over the holidays,” said Donna.
“They said, right, we need to do something for the community, and started organising things.”
Arden Foodbank is run through the Trussell Trust and is based in Alcester on Fridays at Alcester Methodist Church, and in Studley on Tuesdays at Studley Methodist Church.
It work with referral agencies to issue food vouchers to those in need in times of crisis.
