200 HAMPERS DELIVERED TO NEEDY PEOPLE IN BOURNEMOUTH

The Mayor of Bournemouth helped lend a hand with deliveries at Bournemouth Foodbank’s Christmas Hamper Appeal this week.

Bournemouth Foodbank delivered 200 hampers, along with the help of the Mayor and Mayoress, to families in Bournemouth who otherwise might not be able to celebrate and eat together over the Christmas period.

The Mayor, Cllr Derek Borthwick said: “It will be a great pleasure for me to go around and deliver to some residents and I think it will be quite a surprise for them. I like to get involved when I go to events and hopefully put a smile on people’s faces and at Christmas, that’s my intention.

“Appeals like this are so important when you can’t put food on the table, especially at Christmas time. I can’t imagine that way of living but unfortunately some people fall into that category through no fault of their own.”

Bournemouth Foodbank worked in partnership with 45 partner businesses, charities, churches and companies such as Nationwide Building Society who made their facilities available for the storage and packing of the hampers, Foresters Financial provided £2,000 to buy the fresh and frozen food and Bournemouth University’s Student Union who helped wrap and decorate the hampers.

The hampers included enough fresh and frozen food and Christmas goodies to provide everything each family of five needs for three days, right to their front door. A message of hope for the New Year from the Bible was also included.

Approximately 60 volunteer drivers took over six tonnes of food to feed as many as 1,000 people in need.

Foodbank Hamper co-ordinator, Ed Briggs said: “We worked through the referral agencies to make sure that families know what they’re expecting and to ensure that they’ll be in to receive the hamper. This is our opportunity to give out a bonus, extra bit of love at Christmas to support those families who are considered most in need.”

“I’m also really pleased to be able to say that we’re working with other projects around Bournemouth such as Hope For Food and the Basket Brigade who are also delivering Christmas Hampers at this time. We’ve been able to sit down and de-conflict and do our very best to make sure that we’re not hitting the same families but instead together we’re able to reach more families.”

Originally posted by Bournemouth Echo here: https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/17315149.200-hampers-delivered-needy-people-bournemouth/