Instead of sending out Christmas cards this year, staff at Lang Bennetts Chartered Accountants have been collecting food for Truro Foodbank.
Shockingly, more than 2,000 people will be fed by the foodbank over the Christmas period – a significant increase on 2015 – with around a third of them teenagers.
“Everyone we help has genuine need, we’re not a free supermarket and we’re not feeding the homeless because they’re being looked after by St Petroc’s,” said Foodbank manager Bob Girvan.
“Over Christmas, we’re giving three days’ worth of food – twelve meals – to each person. We don’t think anyone in our community should have to face going hungry, not at this time of year or any other. That’s why we’re very grateful for food donations and for money too.”
Accounts clerk Sally Sparks coordinated the Lang Bennetts’ collection after becoming aware of the scale of the problem and wanting to offer some practical help.
“We do something for local charities each Christmas and when I read news reports about the importance of local foodbanks I suggested donating to the Truro one,” she said.
“The response has been fantastic. We’ve got offices in Falmouth and Truro and staff in both places have been really generous. It’s a great cause and we want to help make a difference.”
Foodbank volunteers are putting hampers together that, in some cases, will include crackers and gifts for families in crisis. Sainsbury’s and Tesco in Truro have collection points for anyone wishing to donate. To contact the foodbank, email trurofoodbank@gmail.com or call 07721 711669.
