Food and toiletries winging their way to vulnerable families thanks to Burnley Green party campaigners and volunteers

Generous donations from supporters and customers at a Burnley cafe, that topped the £1,000 mark, will be put towards food and toiletries for familes in need.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The cash donation to the Burnley Football Club community foodbank has come from Burnley Green Party and the One Sixty Cafe in St James Street.

On Christmas Day last year, for the third year running, party members and volunteers took over the cafe to provide a full Christmas lunch to those who would otherwise go without.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The money raised was put into a fund to provide free meals for those in need at the cafe but, because the pandemic has forced its closure for most of the year, party members decided to put the money to good use elsewhere.

Pictured with some of their donations for the BFC in the Community foodbank are (from left to right) Emma Simpkin, Martyn Hunt, Coun. Andy Fewings and Andy Wight.Pictured with some of their donations for the BFC in the Community foodbank are (from left to right) Emma Simpkin, Martyn Hunt, Coun. Andy Fewings and Andy Wight.
Pictured with some of their donations for the BFC in the Community foodbank are (from left to right) Emma Simpkin, Martyn Hunt, Coun. Andy Fewings and Andy Wight.

The donation was further boosted by the Leader of the Green Party on Burnley Council, Coun. Andy Fewings, who donated £400 of his councillor allowance.

Food bank referrals are increasing but donations to the food bank are decreasing, largely because of COVID related job losses.

Andy said: "Before the pandemic, 15% of households in Burnley lived in fuel poverty and holiday hunger was already a big issue.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"With the first redundancies already hitting local people hard, in a jobs crisis fuelled by lockdown, those struggling and being pushed into poverty are only going on the increase.

Serving Christmas lunch at One Sixty cafe last year are (left to right) Coun. Sarah Hall, Alex Hall, Laura Fisk and Coun. FewingsServing Christmas lunch at One Sixty cafe last year are (left to right) Coun. Sarah Hall, Alex Hall, Laura Fisk and Coun. Fewings
Serving Christmas lunch at One Sixty cafe last year are (left to right) Coun. Sarah Hall, Alex Hall, Laura Fisk and Coun. Fewings

"Obviously food banks are necessary but it is a scandal that they are so essential.

"We are the sixth richest country in the world, no one should be going hungry.”

Burnley FC in the Community Chief Executive Officer, Sara Ward said: “We are extremely grateful to all of the local businesses, organisations, fans, schools and community groups for their overwhelming support and donations for the foodbank.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Since March the foodbank has delivered 3,250 food parcels, feeding over 7,000 people, of which 3,000 were children. The facility has never been more vital, with the coronavirus pandemic resulting in an unprecedented number of local people needing our services.

Coun. Fewings (left) hands over the food and toiletries to volunteers from BFC in the Community food bankCoun. Fewings (left) hands over the food and toiletries to volunteers from BFC in the Community food bank
Coun. Fewings (left) hands over the food and toiletries to volunteers from BFC in the Community food bank

“The facility has been a long-term project for Burnley FC in the Community, in addition to food parcels, we run early kick-off breakfast clubs feeding 2,000 local school children every week and we will continue to feed these children and their families throughout the holidays.

“The foodbank relies completely on donations from the public and partners, therefore this donation will make a real difference to the most vulnerable in our town during these most challenging of times.”

To make a donation to the foodbank click HERE