2020
Council thanks residents for helping raise £10,000 for children in Gedling
Date Posted: 12:48 PM on Fri, 13 November 2020Gedling Borough Council has reached its target of raising £10,000 to provide food to families who are eligible for free school meals during half term.
The council backed the footballer and humanitarian, Marcus Rashford’s campaign to provide meals to young children during half term who are eligible to receive free school meals.
The council set up the ‘Feeding Gedling Fund’ campaign and it hit the target of £10,000 in just two weeks. Councillors kick started the funding by providing £4,350 towards the target. Donations ranged from £5 - £250 and the fund received over 180 backers.
In Gedling, over 2,500 schoolchildren are eligible for free school meals and, due to the pandemic, some parents may be struggling to provide food when the schools are closed. Any families who are struggling to provide food for their children and need some support can call the council on 0115 901 3901 and they can organise for the delivery and or collection of food from their nearest foodbank. This offer will also be available during Christmas half term and Easter 2020 half term.
Arnold Foodbank and the charity, HOPE Nottingham, who manage several foodbanks in the area, backed the campaign.
Deputy Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor Michael Payne said:
“I am very pleased to announce that, thanks to the incredible generosity and compassion of the residents of our borough, we have raised £10,000 that will be used to support some of our most vulnerable families during the worst crisis in this country, since the Second World War.
We set up this campaign in support of Marcus Rashford’s incredible efforts to highlight the harsh reality that children were going hungry during half term and we could not stand by and do nothing. Since we launched our campaign, the local authority responsible for children’s welfare, Nottinghamshire County Council and the government have announced that they will change their policies and will also provide support, an announcement that we welcome.
We will use this money to support local families in our borough to help ensure that no child will go hungry in our borough this Christmas and into the New Year and Easter holidays too.
I would like to thank everyone that donated to this campaign. I would also like to thank our local foodbanks who have supported the Feeding Gedling Fund and who are doing an incredible job of helping our most vulnerable residents. This year has been exceptionally difficult for so many but I am overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of our citizens and this should give us all hope for the future.”