[L]ast week “The North Lakes Foodbank” issued a Newsflash notifying its benefactors they were running low on stocks. The school summer holidays are the most demanding times of year for families; as are the Christmas holidays. This is when families struggle to feed themselves and their children, as the children are at home and school dinners aren’t available
Roy Ellis (far right) Foodbank Volunteer, said: “The local foodbanks are there to support people who have fallen on hard times by providing them with free food packages. Our Foodbanks are located in town centres around the county and the Foodbank Central Stores are located in Cockermouth.
“If you wish to support this good cause; most supermarkets have food collection points where you can drop a can in the bin when you are out shopping.”
To this end Hertel; part of the Sellafield Teir2 contractors; responded with setting up a food collection point at their offices on site and within three days from asking they had managed to collect over 140kg of groceries and deliver it to the Foodbank for distributing.
Sam Scott, Hertel administrator (far left) said: “In this day and age it’s a mystery why we need such places as Foodbanks, but it’s great to see that people can get support when they are in desperate need.”
Roy added: “We support everyone who needs our help from individuals, couples to whole families, with one off packs or up to three consecutive packs where there is a clear need. If people are struggling they can get Food Vouchers from their local professionals such as Doctors or from their local Citizen Advice Bureau to tide them over and present them at the Foodbank in exchange for food.”
Following the delivery, The North Lakes Foodbank sent Hertel an email saying; “You collected 140kg of food – this would provide parcels for 11 single people for 3 days, or 24 kids packs each of which would help feed 2 children for a week. A really terrific effort.”
