Putting food on the table at Christmas

Chartered Accountant Matt Walton explains just what a vital contribution a local food bank and advice service makes in the community. Page Kirk's fundraising is a fitting end to a year of giving.

I am thrilled to share a heartwarming experience our accountancy firm had in December. We had the privilege of supporting a remarkable charity, St Ann's Advice Centre Food Bank.

As an accountant, numbers and figures are my daily companions, but there's a profound joy that comes from contributing to causes that make a tangible difference in people's lives. St. Ann's Advice Centre is one such organisation, which has touched our hearts with its commitment to alleviating food insecurity and supporting vulnerable individuals and families.

They provide a range of services, including advice, advocacy and practical support to those facing hardships. The food bank in particular plays a crucial role in ensuring that no one in our community goes to bed hungry.

The Advice Centre

Over the years, the Advice Group has adapted to social, economic and political changes that have had devastating effects on the local community. Today, they continue their mission, developing and delivering projects to address urgent issues such as income deprivation; social and financial exclusion; and inequality.

Their work ranges from providing basic welfare benefit advice to complex debt casework, including support for resolving debt problems, benefit checks, tenant representation and assistance with paperwork. The St. Ann's Advice Group also engages in various community projects, such as a fuel debt and efficiency initiative and a food and furniture recycling store. Currently, they are working on establishing a training hub in collaboration with other advice providers in the city to support clients in becoming work-ready.

Their food bank started off 11 years ago and relies on donations from the public. Throughout the year, they offer mostly non-perishable foods items, toiletries and other essentials. This Christmas, they aimed to create hampers, filled with food you would have during the festive season, including meat, fresh vegetables, fruit and some little luxuries such as mince pies, cheese, or Christmas pudding. Without these hampers, the families wouldn't be able to have Christmas dinner this year.

Beyond a Christmas meal, it's about mental well-being. These hampers play a crucial role in helping these families feel a sense of normality during tough times. And hopefully spread a little joy.

One individual making a tremendous impact is Elisabetta Russo, who began volunteering at the food bank in May, while in between jobs.

She said: “I really enjoyed supporting the community and so it felt quite natural to me to accept the job position of Foodbank Coordinator when it became available in October.”

Her passion and dedication shine through as she describes the vital role the food bank plays in supporting the local community, especially during economically challenging times.

“We provide a full bag of food and essentials every week for a period of four weeks (which can be extended) for people with no or low income or people waiting for benefits, We can also offer emergency parcels for people whose situation changed suddenly, while other types of support are put in place for them. We mainly rely on donations, so a big part of the job for us is to raise awareness about the foodbank, explaining what we do and finding support. Whenever a contact is made available from a local company, like yours, it means we have ensured enough food for the people who rely on us and for the people who will rely on us in the future. Especially in a period when, due to the economic situation, we receive less support.

“In order to get the food parcel, people's current situation will be assessed by the centre, and other types of help will be put in place to try and facilitate their return to an independent life, The main goal is for the individual to use our foodbank temporarily and get back on their feet.

Our motto for the foodbank is: 'Everything is temporary, good and bad, and we try to make the 'bad' feel easier on people!'

The response from our team was overwhelming. Colleagues, clients, friends and family brought in non-perishable food items, toiletries and other essentials. Also there were festive donations for the Christmas hampers, such as mince pies, Christmas pudding and biscuits. It was heartwarming to witness the collective effort and enthusiasm as we collected the items. We also organised various fundraising activities such as a drinks raffle, a Spin-to-Win game, and dress-down days, generating additional funds used to purchase fresh products for the charity including fresh fruit, veg and chickens, so they could have meat on Christmas day.

Debbie Webster, the manager of St. Ann's Advice Centre, expressed gratitude, highlighting the significance of support from businesses like ours:

“Our food bank supports individuals and families for as long as they need our help. We rely mainly on donations from the public and companies, like Page Kirk, that understand the hardship some people are facing. Christmas is supposed to be a happy time, being together and enjoying time as a family, but this is often not the case for many in our communities who are struggling to buy food and heat homes. We put together a hamper for all our clients who are on the food bank list to remind them that people care. A big thank you to Page Kirk. What you have done will really make a difference.”

A massive thank you to everyone who got involved in raising funds and donating food! Every little bit counts, and your generosity will undoubtedly make a significant impact on someone's Christmas this year. If you are interested in learning more about St. Ann's Advice Centre or wish to contribute to their food bank, please visit their website: https://stannsadvice.org.uk/.

Page Kirk pledged to support 12 different charities in 2023, one for every month. Read about our past charity partnerships here:

Baby Basics Long Eaton in January.

Brinsley Animal Rescue in February

NSPCC Midlands Hub in March.

Notts SVS Services in April.

Drone to Home in May.

MND Nottinghamshire Branch in June.

Stonebridge City Farm in July.

Juno Women's Aid in August.

Shoe Aid in September.

Guide Dogs in October

Our Dementia Choir in November. 

St Ann's Advice Food Bank in December. (above)