A FOODBANK which is providing parcels for a record number of families has received a £1,000 boost from Ashton-based law firm Bromleys.
Tameside East Food Bank, run by The Trussell Trust, fed nearly 6,000 people in 2021 as families struggle with rising energy bills and a cut in Universal Credit.
The Trussell Trust was Bromleys’ charity of the year for 2021 and the firm raised £1,000 through a series of raffles, dress down days, book sales, staff donations and a sweepstake for last summer’s Euros tournament.
Staff also donated non-perishable food items, including pasta, cereals and tinned goods, along with toiletries such as shower gels, toothpaste and deodorants.
Jean Fitzsimons, project coordinator at Tameside East Foodbank, which is based in Ashton, said: “In the first full year our foodbank was open in 2013/14, we fed just under 3,600 people.
“In the last financial year, we fed almost 6,000 men, women and children and 194 in the week before Christmas alone.
“Supporting us with donations of food and essentials means we can keep our centres in Ashton, Stalybridge, Millbrook and Dukinfield well-stocked with the items included in our nutritionally balanced parcels which cover three meals per day over three days.
“Cash donations enable us to supplement the stores in our warehouse if we are running low on specific items.
“The generous donations from the Bromleys’ team will help us to continue to support people in Tameside who are currently in crisis.”
Solicitor Hannah Williams, a member of Bromleys’ charity committee, said: “We have been somewhat restricted as to the fundraising events we could put in place, but we are delighted with the amount we have been able to raise.
“Working in the child care team at Bromleys, I know all too well the struggles families face and it really can be a decision as to whether they ‘heat or eat’.
“We owe a big thank you to our staff who continue to commit to our charities and recognise the importance we can each play in our own small way to help others.”
Bromleys staff vote for the firm’s charity of the year and in recent years they have raised more than £5,000 for local good causes.
The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of food banks, provides emergency food and support for people locked in poverty, and campaigns for change to end the need for food banks.
• Bromleys, which was established more than 175 years ago, provides comprehensive legal services to individuals and businesses. For more information visit www.bromleys.co.uk
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