'The response has been stunning' - how your foodbank donations will help many struggling families in Harborough get the food they need this Christmas

The big-hearted people and businesses of Harborough have staged a fantastic effort to help feed scores of struggling local families this Christmas and New Year.

Dozens of generous people as well as traders and other organisations and charities have united to turbo-charge the vital Jubilee Foodbank, based in Market Harborough.

The delighted community resource group is now telling people – we’ve got everything we need for the festive period, please don’t donate any more food for now!

Ecstatic Liz Mills, the foodbank’s chairperson, told the Harborough Mail: “We have been overwhelmed by an amazing amount of donations.

“The response has been stunning.

“In fact, it’s probably the best response we have ever had full stop.”

Spelling out the incredible wave of public support, Liz added: “We have had hundreds of donations.

“For example, today (Tuesday) we would usually have had one or two trolleys of food donated at the supermarkets.

“But it’s been more like four trolleys.

“Individuals, businesses and other organisations such as Harborough District Council and the VASL charity have been magnificent.

“So it’s got to the point where we actually don’t need any more donations for now – we are absolutely fine.”

She said they help about 100 people and families throughout the Market Harborough area referred every month.

“We have helped over 400 households.

“We would like to say a massive thank you to every single person, business and group which has supported us.

“Their huge support speaks volumes about the generosity of the entire Market Harborough community,” said Liz.

“We have provided over 30,000 meals to people this year, which is phenomenal.

“The level of demand has certainly gone up during the Covid-19 pandemic this year.

“We have been supporting single people who have lost their jobs while people finding it tough to make ends meet are also forced to wait for universal credit.

“And they often run up debt while they are waiting to receive it,” said Liz.

“We can only hope that the situation and the economy will get better next year as we try to put the pandemic behind us.

“We will need more support into the New Year and the spring as we go into 2021.

“I’d also like to salute the people who run The Well village hub at Kibworth.

“They are doing a great job feeding people in and around Kibworth, which is taking the pressure off us over there.

“And, finally, a massive thank you to our 45 or so volunteers here at the Jubilee Foodbank.

“They have all been putting in so many extra hours and effort gearing up for Christmas and the festive break.

“There wouldn’t be a foodbank at all without them – so a huge well done to all of them.”

You can find out more about the Jubilee Foodbank here: https://jubileefoodbankmh.uk/And this webpage tells you what sort of food they would like donated and where you can drop off contributions as well: https://jubileefoodbankmh.uk/shopping-list/