Your subscription helped deliver vital support for people experiencing food poverty during the pandemic

Your support has enabled us to help thousands of people during the pandemic; through your continued support our charity has now won the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) Employability Awards 2021, in the Team of the Year – Crisis Management category.

During the height of the pandemic, many people experienced food poverty for the first time. Through the loss of income that many people faced and the impact that lockdowns had on food banks, many of the most vulnerable people were plunged into food poverty.

Newground Together’s Employment and Skills Team responded to a plea for help from The Voluntary Sector Alliance in Calderdale. Charitable organisation, Christians Together Calderdale’s Gathering Place Foodbank needed assistance as many of their volunteers had to self-isolate. With not many volunteers available to deliver weekly food packs and increasing numbers of people needing help, Newground Together stepped in and offered their assistance.

Under guidance from food bank volunteers and Christians Together Calderdale, the Newground Together team worked hard to keep the Gathering Place food bank open and the service continuously running. Emily Pearson, Newground Together’s Community Programmes Manager, said: “We, along with the rest of the country, found ourselves in uncharted territory, and we wanted to help in whatever way we could. The partnership happened overnight in super quick time. With nothing affordable on the shelves, the amazing generous donations from local businesses, time from the volunteers and support of the Voluntary Sector Alliance ensured a Calderdale-wide coordinated response, to those most in need”.

During this challenging time, we’re proud that our charity managed to help deliver:

• Over 1,558 hours to the foodbank;
• Supporting over 4,650 people in Calderdale;
• Securing over £20,000 of generous food donations from the public and businesses;
• Making 57 journeys to local businesses to pick up donations;
• Making hundreds of home deliveries to families and vulnerable people with health conditions; and
• Referring people to a number of other charities and agencies to help people access family support, financial support, emergency housing and mental health support.

As always, 100% of all profits generated from The Compliance People are donated to our parent charity, Newground Together.