Caroline, Stoke on Trent Foodbank Community & Business Development Co-ordinator, shares some highlights of the tour…
What a great event the Stoke-on-Trent BID Better World Festival 2022 was!
..held in Hanley City Centre over two gloriously sunny days, Friday July 15th and Saturday July 16th.
The Charity Day, Friday 15th July, showcased charities and the support available to people locally thanks to the amazing generosity of local people, keen to support others struggling, through difficult times.
As Stoke-on-Trent Foodbank, we were there to thank the people of Stoke-on-Trent, those from all sorts of backgrounds including; individuals, families, churches and other communities groups and businesses, who have given through difficult times to help us feed over 115,000 people in the last 10 years.
Also to give those that were able, the opportunity to contribute donations to our GOING THE EXTRA MILE TROLLEY PUSH – to help enable us to continue to go the extra mile so that no one in Stoke-on-Trent has to face going hungry.
The Trolley Push was inspired, when looking back over photos when commemorating our Tenth Anniversary in May, by the 2013 Trussell Trust Trolley Push – Push against Poverty, see Saltbox photos for one of the original 2013 trolley pushers!!
THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE INVOLVED, THAT MADE IT SUCH A MEMORABLE EVENT: see photos below…
Firefighter Spence started the trolley push tour at Hanley St Luke’s CE Primary School, where the Year 4 children who’d help us dress the trolley gave us a send off, with some food donations from their thoughtful school community.
Our heartfelt thanks to Head Teacher Mrs Williamson for all her help arranging this and an update assembly ahead.
Also, our thanks to Tesco Hanley Community Champion Sally, pictured centre, for her help with the celebratory balloons!
One of our first stop off points was the Saltbox offices, home of a range of charitable caring initiatives, including our partners Money Matters, who offer practical help with debt relief and benefits advice for our foodbank guests. Thanks to CEO Lloyd Cooke and the teams for their enthusiastic welcome!
The 2013 SoT Foodbank Trolley Push Crew. Mary-Ann, now Money Matters Centre Manager, is pictured at the end of the line up. Can you spot her centre, second and third picture above?
We also visited our two Hanley church-based volunteer crewed SoT Foodbank distribution centres; Grace Church, Clough Street and Hope Church, Upper Huntbach Street – who also enthusiastically welcomed us with their latest food collections. We are so grateful for their commitment, being there, week in week out, for foodbank guests, offering a warm welcome, a 3-day nutritionally balanced food parcel matched as close as possible to the guest’s personal requirements, re dietary and cooking facilities.
Distribution Centre Co-ordinator Maggie, with Firefighter Spence with Centre Leads Hilary
Firefighter Spence and Centre Lead Becs. and Karen (both in white blouses) and other volunteers.
We were delighted to have the opportunity to drop in on so many supporter Hanley located businesses, also taking the opportunity to make their latest or first food donation.
It was good to meet again with the staff at Santander Bank, Town Road, who have an ongoing food collection for us, generously supported by customers and staff. Staff members have also given time to sort and date food at our warehouse.
Some of the Santander Team pictured inside the branch with their collection trolley, and en route to our stall and van, keen to Go The Extra Mile.
Other City Centre businesses donating food were staff teams at TK Maxx, Beaverbrooks, Supercuts and The Co-operative Bank Hanley branch (whose Leek offices are regular business volunteers at our central Blurton warehouse).
Some of the TKMaxx team with their kindly donated goods.
Beaverbrooks personnel with their thoughtful, timely donations.
THANKS to Benx volunteers for their Trolley Push enthusiastic assistance, especially in the Potteries Centre.
We were excited to head out to the Smithfield Quarter and link up again with supporters Genr8 and Davies Group. Firefighter Spence is pictured outside Clayworks where we were pleased to receive donated food.
The Tour was completed on the Stoke on Trent BID Better World Festival Main Stage with a talk sharing about our 10 Years supporting local people with emergency food and now Going the Extra Milethanks to the kind-hearted generosity of local people!
Thank you for the support of the Potteries’ Shopping Centre Management Team, for organising our access to the area.
Also to the Stoke on Trent Better World Festival BID Team, especially Rich, for ensuring all businesses were aware of this opportunity, and were able to enjoy taking part!
Thanks to all those that took the time to come and meet some of the team, including Operations Manager Corrine and Pathfinder & Referral Lead Nicola and donate at our Better World Festival stand!
FINALLY, THANKS SPENCE FOR GOING THE EXTRA MILE – HELPING US DELIVER EMERGENCY FOOD!!
To learn more about opportunities for businesses to support the local community through our work, please email: [email protected] or call; 07946 243861