Bags of support for Shropshire families in crisis

26 July 2019

GENEROUS Leek United customers have provided bags – and boxes – of support for a special campaign to help feed Shropshire families in crisis...

The Society’s Oakengates team appealed for donations of cans and dried goods that Telford Crisis Support* can make up into food parcels for those most in need.

And local people responded in droves, filling the collection point at the Leek United branch at 12 Market Street, Telford, to overflowing.

Customer Adviser Debra Hutchins said: “The response from customers has been absolutely brilliant. People have been coming in all the time with food, toiletries, household items, and even cash donations, which the charity can also accept.

“We’re really grateful for everyone’s generosity; the appeal was originally only going to be for a couple of months, but we’ve now decided to keep the collection going indefinitely.

“Telford Crisis Support need ongoing help, and there are so many people out there for whom just feeding their families each week can be a real struggle, so we’re continuing to do all we can, with the help of our brilliant customers.”

So far in 2019, the charity has handed out more than 1,000 emergency parcels in response to a growing food poverty problem in Telford and the surrounding areas.

Leek United’s appeal is part of the constant drive to ensure that Telford Crisis Support’s foodbank shelves are kept fully-stocked with non-perishable food items – including cans, jars and packets of dried goods – as well as toiletries.

Ollie Locker, Operations Manager at Telford Crisis Support, said: “The sort of help that Leek United’s team in Oakengates is giving us is absolutely priceless.

“Not only are the donations much-needed, but hopefully customers visiting the branch will see our posters and may consider supporting us further and help us to spread the word about our work and our aims.”

*Since 2013, Telford Crisis Support has operated a Foodbank in Telford and Wrekin to provide emergency food, toiletries and clothing to those most in need.

In partnership with the Telford Crisis Network, the charity ensures that service users can get the help they need as quickly as possible and without being passed around from agency to agency.

Food reaches people through our network of collection points via our team of volunteer drivers and through partners who have referred their clients.