Barratt Homes Supports People Needing Food Banks This Festive Season

Barratt Homes Yorkshire East is supporting the local community in Hull throughout the festive season by providing much-needed support to local food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network.

Food banks provide emergency food alongside compassionate and practical support to vulnerable individuals and families throughout the year.

The Trussell Trust supports more than 1,200 food banks in the UK, providing a minimum of three days’ nutritionally-balanced emergency food to people who have been referred in crisis, alongside supporting people to help resolve the crises they face. Between April 2018 and March 2019, food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network provided a record 1.6m in food supplies. A 19% increase on the previous year.

Barratt Homes Yorkshire East has pledged to support the life-saving charity throughout the festive season and into 2020 by encouraging the community Hull to donate non-perishable food items including pasta, tinned food and tea to the Harrier Chase development in Brough, near Hull. Alongside food items, the local housebuilder is urging people to donate toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower gel and shampoo to help ensure as many people as possible receive the support they desperately need in the lead-up to Christmas.

The festive drop-off station will be open at the Harrier Chase development sales office from the 9th December until the 31st January. Dedicated volunteers from the Barratt Homes Yorkshire East team have pledged to make regular drop-offs to the local food banks, ensuring all donations are received and distributed as soon as possible. Other dedicated drop off stations can be found at the following developments: Barley Fields in Selby, Fairfield Croft in York and Kingsley Meadows in Harrogate – supporting communities across the region.

Recent research released by The Trussell Trust has revealed that December was the busiest month for food banks last year. Local food banks in The Trussell Trust’s network provided 186,185 three-day emergency food parcels to people in crisis – 78,536 of these went to children. The need for accessible food banks is also increasing each year. In the last five years, food bank use throughout the network has increased by 73%, emphasising the need for support all year round2.

In light of this research, Barratt Homes Yorkshire East has committed its to support The Trussell Trust, not just during the festive season but also into the new year to ensure those in need receive the support they deserve.

Samantha Stapley, Director of Operations at the Trussell Trust commented: “For too many people, this Christmas will not be a time of celebration. Every year our network of food banks sees a spike in need during December, and what we’re hearing from the frontline suggests this year food banks will see just as many, if not more, people referred for help.”

“Food banks will be working hard to provide not only essential food but also little extras that offer hope at a time when people need it most. This can only be done with the support of people and businesses in local communities, so we’re very grateful for support for food banks like this. It will make a huge difference – thank you.”

Paul Hogan, Sales Director at Barratt Developments Yorkshire East commented;

“We’re delighted to be supporting the Trussell Trust and its network of local food banks this festive season alongside promoting the incredible work it does across our region. We will be collecting donations from sales offices in Selby, York, Harrogate and Hull to extend our support throughout the region and hopefully help as many people as possible. Every item that is donated will be greatly appreciated, and we encourage the local community to give generously both now and in the future to local food banks in the area.”