Organisers of two Dorset food banks have praised care home residents and staff for doing their bit to help families in need.
It comes after Colten Care’s Castle View in Poundbury chose the Dorchester Foodbank and Food Share, based at Dorchester Community Church, as its main charities to support this year.
Among the latest initiatives, residents sold handmade greeting cards and second-hand books and held raffles.
These activities raised more than £150 which was used to buy dozens of items such as tinned fruit and veg, jars of cooking sauce, packets of pasta and rice, and cartons of juice, all requested by the food banks.
The items, laid out on a large table, were donated to Tracy Hughes of Dorchester Foodbank and Liz Meech of Food Share when the pair came to give a talk to residents about their work.
“We were blown away by the size of the donation and are so grateful for the support,” said Tracy. “It was heartening to know the Castle View residents are on board with what we are doing.”
Tracy’s comments were echoed by Liz, who added: “It was absolutely humbling to see the spread on the table. It is a privilege to develop our relationship with Castle View. Community support is absolutely key to what we do. It means the world to us.”
Castle View resident Joan Edwards, who helped to present the food items, said after the talk by Tracy and Liz: “I didn’t realise how much food poverty there is in our area and that there is no let-up in demand for the help available from the food banks. They deserve our support.”
Fellow residents Doreen Webb, Sylvia King, Gwen Kenward and Jean Howarth also went on a minibus trip to the community church to meet Food Share volunteers and see first-hand how food parcels are made up ready for distribution to families. Parcels can contain a range of items such as fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, eggs, rice and milk.
Castle View’s Companionship Team Leader Hayley Legg said that one volunteer, Liz, shared a ‘touching story that truly moved us’.
Hayley said: “She spoke of a little girl who, on receiving milk, said ‘This will make me big and strong’. Another child was given a birthday cake donated by a supermarket, and she couldn’t stop jumping for joy. Her parents were in tears, overwhelmed by gratitude, as they had been unable to afford a cake for her birthday.”
Hayley added that the talk by Tracy and Liz, and the visit to Food Share, had redoubled residents’ resolve to continue supporting the food banks.
Forthcoming fundraising events open to the community include involvement in the Poundbury Open Gardens weekend on 6 and 7 June and the Castle View summer fete on 26 July.
