Colten Care Helps Food Banks Battle Surge In Demand

A south coast care home provider has joined forces with local food banks to help families and individuals in desperate need this winter.

Colten Care is inviting donors to drop off food in collection boxes at all 21 of its homes in Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and West Sussex, and its Colten House head office in Ringwood.

The donations will be distributed to food banks battling to meet a surge in demand from families facing financial hardship and food poverty.

Mark Aitchison, Colten Care’s Chief Executive, said: “One consequence of Covid-19 and lockdowns has been that many food banks have seen a drop in donations while need has increased.

“We have therefore decided that in the run-up to Christmas, our homes will be helping to collect donations on behalf of their local food banks.

“People can simply come with food items and put them in a collection box near our reception or front door.

“We will gather and take the items to the local food bank who will then include them in the food parcels they provide to their clients.

“This initiative is a way we can support vulnerable families and individuals in the communities we serve during the pandemic.”

As well as providing collection boxes, Colten Care is donating food directly and inviting its regular suppliers to do the same.

The first to come on board is the Downton, Wiltshire-based wholesaler Bidfood who are contributing a range of tinned and dry foods.

Colten Care Hotel Services Manager Fergus Davitt said: “We thank all those suppliers who are supporting us in our food bank initiative. Together we can really make a difference to the lives of families in the communities around our homes.”

Oliver Stanley, chairman of the Lymington-based New Forest Basics Bank, said: “We are bowled over and very grateful to Colten Care for their support.

“They are such a well-known and respected name in and around Lymington and we’re thrilled they have joined forces with us.

“We have a continual need to source food. We’re currently working with around 100 families a week, providing them with enough food to see them through.

“Food banks here in the New Forest and elsewhere are seeing a surge in demand due to the impact of ongoing lockdown restrictions, rising mass unemployment and household financial crises.”

The Trussell Trust, another of the food bank networks being supported by Colten Care, recently released a report about the impact of coronavirus on the use of food banks nationally.

It showed families with children had been hardest hit by food poverty since the start of the pandemic.

The Trust forecasts a 61% increase in demand this winter, with six emergency parcels needing to be given out every minute across the UK.

A south coast care home provider has joined forces with local food banks to help families and individuals in desperate need this winter.

Colten Care is inviting donors to drop off food in collection boxes at all 21 of its homes in Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and West Sussex, and its Colten House head office in Ringwood.

The donations will be distributed to food banks battling to meet a surge in demand from families facing financial hardship and food poverty.

Mark Aitchison, Colten Care’s Chief Executive, said: “One consequence of Covid-19 and lockdowns has been that many food banks have seen a drop in donations while need has increased.

“We have therefore decided that in the run-up to Christmas, our homes will be helping to collect donations on behalf of their local food banks.

“People can simply come with food items and put them in a collection box near our reception or front door.

“We will gather and take the items to the local food bank who will then include them in the food parcels they provide to their clients.

“This initiative is a way we can support vulnerable families and individuals in the communities we serve during the pandemic.”

As well as providing collection boxes, Colten Care is donating food directly and inviting its regular suppliers to do the same.

The first to come on board is the Downton, Wiltshire-based wholesaler Bidfood who are contributing a range of tinned and dry foods.

Colten Care Hotel Services Manager Fergus Davitt said: “We thank all those suppliers who are supporting us in our food bank initiative. Together we can really make a difference to the lives of families in the communities around our homes.”

Oliver Stanley, chairman of the Lymington-based New Forest Basics Bank, said: “We are bowled over and very grateful to Colten Care for their support.

“They are such a well-known and respected name in and around Lymington and we’re thrilled they have joined forces with us.

“We have a continual need to source food. We’re currently working with around 100 families a week, providing them with enough food to see them through.

“Food banks here in the New Forest and elsewhere are seeing a surge in demand due to the impact of ongoing lockdown restrictions, rising mass unemployment and household financial crises.”

The Trussell Trust, another of the food bank networks being supported by Colten Care, recently released a report about the impact of coronavirus on the use of food banks nationally.

It showed families with children had been hardest hit by food poverty since the start of the pandemic.

The Trust forecasts a 61% increase in demand this winter, with six emergency parcels needing to be given out every minute across the UK.