Appeal for foodbank donations to help Burnley families still struggling in the wake of the pandemic

Burnley Together was established by Burnley Council, The Calico Group, Burnley Leisure, CVS and Burnley FC in the Community to offer a variety of services to give support and relief to those during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year the community kitchen, operated by Burnley FC in the Community, on behalf of Burnley Together, has facilitated around 6,000 food parcels feeding 13,422 people, of which nearly 5,000 were children.

Lord Khan, who presented a cheque for £760, said: " Supporting the fight against food poverty was one of my key priorities during my tenure

as Mayor of Burnley, and I continue to support the efforts being made through my role in the House of

Lords.

"The important thing to highlight is that despite the pandemic not being as prevalent in the news as it once was, its impact is being felt more than ever by thousands of local families.

"Donations are needed, so please help if you are able to."

Phil Jones, Director of New Services at The Calico Group, said it was vitally important that they continue to

be able to offer this service in the town, helping people when they need it most.

He said: " The generosity of Lord Khan and of all of those who continue to donate food and other items is key to us meeting the needs of our community.’

Dr. Sarah Ward, Chief Executive of Burnley FC in the Community, put into context the importance of

those donations adding that demand on the foodbank is not going away and donations, such as the one from Lord

Khan, are 'more important than ever.'

She said: "We estimate that the monetary value of a weekly, single person parcel would cost £22.13 if it were purchased at a national supermarket.

"If this amount of food was provided for each person via our parcels, we will have distributed nearly £300,000 worth of stock."

Burnley Together are renewing their appeal for help as the impact of the pandemic continues to affect local families, even after the lockdowns.

You can drop off non-perishable food at the fixed donation points operated by Burnley FC in the Community, and Burnley Together are also looking for businesses to become a collection point to make it easier for their staff to donate. Any businesses interested in helping in this way should contact Burnley Together on 01282 686402.

If you live in Burnley and need the help of Burnley Together, you can contact them on 01282 686402 or

via Facebook (@BurnleyTogether).