UNIT-E helps spread some Christmas Cheer
Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG) staff and contractors have helped to spread some Christmas cheer by donating more than 1 tonne of food to ‘Unit E’ – the Wythenshawe food storage warehouse.
‘Unit E’ helps supply 7 Food Banks within Wythenshawe and is supported by WCHG’s Real Food team and a network of volunteers, who have been bowled over by the amount of food donated, from WCHG staff and contractor’s but also from local people who pass by the store in Wythenshawe Town Centre.
In the lead up to Christmas community groups, businesses and individual people have all been donating food and cash to Unit-E , who working with the Trussell Trust model in partnership with the ‘The Food Poverty Group’ in Wythenshawe.
Staff at WCHG’s Greenwood Road depot collected 1200 items of food with the help of McVities , A&B Electrical, Bespoke, Sure Maintenance, Morgan and Lambert, A & K builders, Quest, Hughes Brothers and Professional Pest Services.
Over the last year the unit has been supported by many organisations including Manchester Shrimad Raj Chandra Mission Organisation who visited Unit -e with 250 kilos of food, The Risk and Audit Team from Manchester Airport who helped to sort out logistics and storage systems and Vodaphone who helped decorate the upstairs rooms at the Unit.
Group Chief Executive of WCHG, Nigel Wilson said, “These acts of generosity and kindness are making a real difference to people's lives in Wythenshawe and I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank everyone who has donated and supported the Unit, you have helped to spread some Christmas cheer to the people that most need it”
Chair of the WCHG Board, The Bishop of Manchester Dr David Walker said, “Unfortunately food poverty is still a large scale problem nationally and is seen locally in Wythenshawe. We are overwhelmed by the generosity of staff, contractors and local people. I would like to thank all for their contributions and encourage people to suppor the vital work that they do in 2017”.
Partnership Manager at the Tree of Life Centre in Wythenshawe, one of the foodbanks that receives parcels from Unit E, Francess Davies-Tagoe said, “We are proud to work with Unit-E, we have seen record numbers of food contributions over this festive period along with presents for the elderly and young children. The Tree of Life will distribute this food and see first-hand the deprivation that unfortunately coexists within community. The Tree of Life will continue to be a community resource and be a foundation that the community can tap into for essential every day support”.
Unit E utilises the Trussell Trust model and works in collaboration with Fareshare, providing a more streamlined approach to supplying the food banks in Wythenshawe through a bespoke referral system and data base.
This model has resulted in a collaborative and sustainable approach, bringing together people and organisations to help focus on, supporting individuals and families living in food poverty and addressing the long term solutions.
For more information on Unit E contact Real Food Wythenshawe, Jacqueline Naraynsingh, Real Food Programme Manager, Jacqueline.Naraynsingh@wchg.org.uk or Pam Moran, Real Food Cooking and Skills Coordinator, if you would like to make a donation.
