Caring staff have dug deep during a year-long effort to ensure those less fortunate than themselves don’t go without a meal.
Each year Leicester-based payroll provider Growth Partners asks staff to nominate a charity to be the beneficiary of its fundraising efforts. During 2023 staff chose to support The Trussell Trust – the UK’s leading anti-poverty charity which expects to hand out over a million food parcels this winter alone.
Katie Taylor, Group HR Manager at Growth Partners said:
“It really does highlight the challenges faced by many people across the country – not just the homeless, but also many working families who are facing hardship during times of economic challenge.
“We pride ourselves on being a good employer, ensuring our staff are supported through all life’s challenges, and encourage support of those less fortunate too.”
Katie added:
“We’ve been supporting The Trussell Trust since January, and our team has since donated over 200kgs of food – to put this into context 200kg is the equivalent of a large upright piano or a medium-sized motorbike! It’s an impressive amount with all our staff across the UK throwing themselves into a range of fundraising events including a steps challenge, a cake decorating contest and a charity picnic.
Our mission is to make peoples’ lives easier, happier, and healthier so supporting a charity campaigning to end the need for food banks, was a perfect fit for us. We’re really proud of what the team has achieved and are delighted that it will help support the fabulous work of The Trussell Trust, which makes such a difference to the lives of so many.”
The Trussel Trust is working to stop hunger UK hunger and poverty. It is a charity supporting a nationwide network of more than 1,300 food banks, providing emergency food and support to people facing hardship.
Growth Partner’s head office is in Colton Square, Leicester but employs staff across the UK who have all been supporting the work of The Trussell Trust. All donations were used to buy essential items needed by food banks such as tinned vegetables, tinned meat, long-life juice and milk, coffee, and puddings which staff dropped off at the regional distribution centre where volunteers sort and redistribute donations to food banks.
Bruce Harrison from Leicester South Food Bank said:
“Staff at Growth Partners have really encouraged us with their efforts throughout the year to raise money and collect food items. They have shown what it means to have corporate social responsibility and to ensure that they allow work time to let staff show how much they really care about the community in which they work and operate. We are just the gateway to enable others to see change happen through the generous and dedicated support of companies and individuals. Thank you so much and wishing you all a very happy Christmas.”
With a record 2.5 million emergency food parcels given to people in crisis in the past year alone, Trussell Trust is campaigning for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. You can download their latest research into hunger and destitution here. For a list of food banks and how to donate find out more here.