Co-op joins forces with food banks across Cambridgeshire to help 27,000 children out of holiday hunger this summer

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 28/05/2018


Central England Co-op is joining forces with food bank partners across Cambridgeshire to tackle the issue of holiday hunger for children this summer.

The Summer Food Bank Appeal will run for three months from June to August and customers are being asked to drop off one or more items – ranging from food to toiletries – to help youngsters in need across the area.

After successful campaigns at Christmas and Easter collected over 85,000 items for food banks, Central England Co-op asked charities what was the biggest issued they faced during the summer months.

Over 85% of food banks working with the Co-op said the same thing – a rise in demand from families who see the safety net of free school meals removed during the summer holidays.

This often leaves people trying to stretch their budgets in order to eat and in some cases going without proper food during the holidays.

In Cambridgeshire, figures from End Child Poverty revealed that 27,530 children were at risk of falling into holiday hunger during 2018.

As a result Central England Co-op is launching its summer campaign to collect extra donations to try and tackle the rising problem.

The items will then be used to create either bigger food parcels for families with children or to provide special packed lunches for projects that tackle holiday hunger during the summertime.

Some of the stores taking part include Cambourne, Peterborough and Market Deeping

Martyn Cheatle, Central England Co-operative Chief Executive, said: “We are proud to be able to support our food banks all year round and in the past few months have helped collect over 85,000 items to help people in need.

“We wanted to ensure that this great support continued and, after speaking to our food bank partners, knew that helping to tackle holiday hunger was the right thing to do.

“This summer we are appealing to our customers and members to support our campaign and help youngsters in need and their families so they don’t have to go without during the holidays.

 “All we are asking is that people drop off one or more items into our food banks this summer and help make a real difference.”

Items that can be donated include shopping basket staples from tea, sugar and cereals to other essentials such as toiletries and hygiene products

Juliet Welch, from Peterborough food bank, said: “Holiday hunger is an issue that more and more people face each year in the Cambridgeshire area.

“During the school holidays the provision of free school meals for many children stops and families experience additional financial burden on already stretched budgets. This can result in children and parents going hungry.

“We are delighted to be working with Central England Co-op and supporting the Summer Food Bank Appeal to combat holiday hunger.

“We would ask people, if they can, to donate some items during the campaign. This will make a huge difference to help food banks ensure that children and their families don’t go hungry this summer.”

Central England Co-operative has permanent food bank collection points in hundreds of its stores all year, which have resulted in thousands of people every month from Birmingham to Norfolk being given enough food to cook meals.

The Society works with over 50 different food banks to provide emergency food and support to individuals and families in crisis throughout the year.

A film has been produced to showcase the importance of supporting food banks this summer. It can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4OYW4yzQnk

A full list of the stores taking part in the appeal can be found by visiting www.centralengland.coop/summer

 

Notes to editors

 

Picture caption: Central England Co-operative colleague Yvonne Adams is urging customers and members in Peterborough to get behind the Summer Food Bank Appeal.

                              

Picture caption: Young shopper Noah Bailey is backing the Central England Co-op Summer Food Bank Appeal.

 

 

Sidebar:

 

Key items needed by food banks during Easter:

  • Cereal
  • Tinned food
  • Sugar
  • Rice
  • Dried pasta
  • Pasta
  • Sauce
  • Biscuits
  • UHT milk
  • Fruit
  • Juices
  • Tea
  • Instant coffee
  • Toiletries

 

Embed code: Please use the code below to embed our video within your website or to share via social media:

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4OYW4yzQnk" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

 

About Central England Co-operative

 

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK. 

 

It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, and property investment.

 

Central England Co-operative has over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.  The Society has an ambitious food store development programme for 2018.

 

Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.  It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence.  The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.

 

Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.

Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop

 

For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

 

Rob Smyth / Heather Clapton at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140

 

Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop