Local packaging supplier, GWP Packaging, has continued its support for Swindon Food Collective as the charity warns that the number of people using their services has remained at heightened levels.
GWP has donated around 500 boxes used to organise and distribute food to support Swindon Food Collective.
The charity, based in Westlea, Swindon, provided food for around 10,500 people last year, many of them children or teenagers. The charity distributed almost 100 tonnes of food, the equivalent of around 80,000 meals.
Cher Smith MBE, Manager at Swindon Food Collective, said: "We saw a surge in people coming to us during COVID, but this has shown no signs of slowing down.
"Before COVID, those needing our help were generally facing difficulties due to a breakup, redundancy or poor health. Now, with the cost-of-living crisis and inflation, many people simply don't have enough money to get them through the month.
Higher food prices have also affected donations, leading to changes in how the charity operates. It now frequently spends thousands of pounds to ensure it has enough food in stock to meet demand while also purchasing items such as toiletries, sanitary products, and other essentials.
Cher said: "We are seeing a greater need to supplement donated food by purchasing items. This, however, makes fundraisers and support from businesses ever more crucial.
"Assistance from local businesses like GWP, who have helped us for more than twelve years, really makes a huge difference. We can spend the money we save not having to purchase items we need, such as packaging, on food for those we support instead."
Besides donating the packaging used by Swindon Food Collective, GWP has helped the charity in several other ways over the past decade. Support included providing maintenance technicians to rewire the electrics at their storage depot and storing pallets of donations at GWP's warehouse. A team of GWP employees also undertook the National Three Peaks Challenge to raise much-needed funds for the charity.
David Mason, Sales Manager at GWP Packaging, said: "We've been working with Swindon Foodbank and then Swindon Food Collective since 2013. We are proud to be able to provide ongoing support to the great work the charity is doing and we hope that our contribution helps in some way to assist it in providing this much-needed service."
GWP Group, which became part of Macfarlane Group PLC in 2021, currently employs around 100 people across two sites in Wiltshire (Cricklade and Salisbury). It designs and manufactures a wide range of bespoke protective packaging products. For more information about GWP Group, please visit www.gwp.co.uk
For further details of the work Swindon Food Collective does and how you can get involved, please visit www.swindonfoodcollective.org
Your Comments
Be the first to comment on this article
Login or Register to post a comment on this article