A CITY foodbank charity which fed 35,000 people last year has been given a funding boost by a local housebuilder.
Coventry Foodbank, which has the largest foodbank warehouse in the country and gave out 280 tons of food last year, has been given £500 by Bellway’s South Midlands division, which has its regional headquarters in the city.
The foodbank, which was set up 10 years ago, is based at the Halo Centre in Progress Way.
It provides a box of three days’ worth of food supplies and toiletries to people who are given food vouchers by a range of agencies including the city council, the NHS and Citizens Advice.
Hugh McNeill, project manager at Coventry Foodbank, said: “We are funded by public donations which provide us with the financing to ensure we can carry on providing food at our 12 foodbank centres in the city.
“This very generous donation from Bellway will give us a much-welcome boost after a very hard time for everyone.
“The public have continued to support us incredibly well during the pandemic but things have been tough.
“We will use the £500 to support our commercial kitchen project. We are setting up a kitchen in the warehouse so that we can train people with catering skills.
“While we train the people they will be making ready meals or soup for use at the foodbank. The idea is to furnish them with skills that can be used to help them gain employment.”
Elaine Brown, head of sales at Bellway South Midlands, said: “The pandemic lockdown must have put an incredible strain on charities such as the Coventry Foodbank for many reasons.
“This is a brilliant charity that is funded by public donations which allow it to carry on its work and can literally be life-saving. Their food boxes help put food on the tables of thousands and thousands of men, women and children in Coventry every year.
Visit coventry.foodbank.org.uk for more information.
