Trolley donation will help vital South Derbyshire good cause support those in need

Our Food Store in South Derbyshire has donated one of its shopping trolleys to help a local food bank ensure vital support packages get to those who need them.

Petra Parker, from South Derbyshire CVS, picked up the trolley from the Overseal Food Store, in Burton Road, as part of a long-running link-up between the good cause and the major retailer.

Customers and members regularly make donations to South Derbyshire CVS, based in Grove Street, via a permanent food bank collection point in the store.

So when Petra and her team appealed for help in transporting donations and food parcels across the area, the store stepped in to donate a trolley that will help ensure that nobody in need misses out.

Kim Grice, Overseal Food Store Manager, said: “We take being a retailer who is part of our local community very seriously and one of the ways that we do this is by supporting great causes such as South Derbyshire CVS.

“Customers and members are always donating items via the collection point in our store and we regular see Petra or one of the other volunteers picking up the items to turn them into food parcels for people in need.

“When we heard that they needed a trolley we did not hesitate and are delighted to be able to donate one to support South Derbyshire CVS in all of its great work.”

The donation will help support a good cause that continues to see a rise in demand for its services.

In the past three months, it has handed out over 300 food parcels to everyone from families to the homeless.

Service Co-ordinator Petra said: “This donation is a blessing and people do not know how much of an impact it will make to all of us and the people we help on a daily basis.

“It will make it easier to pick up donations and then also to distribute food parcels to those in need.

“We have a great and long-standing relationship with Central England Co-op in Overseal and we cannot thank them enough for their generosity.”

South Derbyshire CVS is one of over 50 food bank partners that the retailer is supporting as part of its Summer Food Bank Appeal to tackle holiday hunger, which is when families see the safety net of free school meals removed during the summer holidays.

All stores across Burton and South Derbyshire are hosting a special food bank collection until 15 September and are encouraging customers and members to donate items including shopping basket staples from tea, sugar and cereals to other essentials such as toiletries and hygiene products.

The food will then be used to create either bigger food parcels for families with children or to provide special packed lunches for projects that tackle holiday hunger during the summertime.

The campaign was launched after data collated by the End Child Poverty coalition and researchers from Loughborough University in May 2019 revealed that in Burton and South Derbyshire a total of 15,238 children were currently living in child poverty. This can be broken down to 9,330 in East Staffordshire and 5,908 in South Derbyshire.