Staff from a Nottinghamshire funeral firm found out how their donation to a food bank is helping local families when they gave up their morning to work as volunteers.
Joanne Hutsby and Ashley Hickenbotham, from Gillotts Funeral Directors took time out to help sort new donations and pack plastic bags full of food and household goods when they spent a couple of hours Eastwood Food Bank earlier this month.
The company, which runs five branches in Nottinghamshire and across the border in Derbyshire, donated £1,000 to the food bank after raising the money during its memorial Christmas tree appeal last December.
The food bank, which serves families in Eastwood and Kimberley, was one of five food banks to benefit from the charity appeal, along with others in Selston, Stapleford, Heanor and Langley Mill.
Joanne Hutsby and Ashley Hickenbotham, from Gillotts Funeral Directors took time out to help sort new donations and pack plastic bags full of food and household goods when they spent a couple of hours helping out at Eastwood Food Bank last month.
Eastwood Food Bank is run by the Eastwood Volunteer Bureau and its service is currently very much in demand, with 70 people visiting the bureau, in Nottingham Road, every Friday to pick up food parcels.
Its manager, Susan Bagshaw, said: “We are always in need of funds and donations and the money from Gillotts was extremely welcome because it helped us to buy more food to help us deal with the unprecedented demand on our services.
“We are very grateful to Gillotts as we are to all of our volunteers who give up their time to help us. Everyone enjoyed Joanne and Ashley coming along to see us and appreciated them giving up their time to help out.”
Joanne, who is a partner in Gillotts, which runs offices in Eastwood, Kimberley, Selston, Stapleford and Heanor, said: “We were really pleased to be able to help Eastwood Food Bank and it was very interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes.
“The food bank makes such a difference to people’s lives and it was wonderful to meet Susan and the volunteers and find out how our donation has helped them.”
