North Lakes Foodbank and Workington Kids are two organisations based in West Cumbria which have recently secured equipment in kind from the Nuclear Community Network following requests on Cumbria Exchange.
The North Lakes Foodbank helps individuals and families in crisis, through the provision of emergency food supplies. All food is given to people who are experiencing crisis identified by care professionals – advisory services for welfare and debt, medical teams, social workers, housing floating support teams, children’s support teams, churches and charity workers. The charity placed a request on the Cumbria Exchange looking for shelving which was matched by Shepley Engineers (part of the Nuclear Community Network).
Shepley Engineers provided seven sets of Dexian shelving which the Foodbank will use to store lunch packs for local children.
Jessie Hendry Gooding, Project Manager commented “The North Lakes Foodbank is delighted that Shepley has continued its support. The shelving it has kindly provided will be used to store out Holiday Lunchpacks 4 kids”.
Since 2016, Shepley Engineers has supported the North Lakes Foodbank by providing a van and driver during Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays (peak times for the Foodbank) to support the transport of food goods from the distribution centre to local collection points.
David Henderson, Business Manager for Shepley Engineers, added: “As a local company we try to answer requests for support whenever we can, and helping the foodbank is just one example where we have been able to do so in a practical manner. It demonstrates that the companies in the Nuclear Community Network can make a difference and provide support, which is of real benefit to those in need.”
Workington Kids is a small organisation in the process of starting up. It will be running youth workshops and providing a safe place for young people to socialise at the Oval Centre in Salterbeck. Workington Kids responded to a ‘support offered’ from Wood (also part of the Nuclear Community Network) which had some office equipment available.
Jo Duggan from Workington Kids, added: “We are very grateful for the offer Wood made to supply Workington Kids with office equipment, as a new community organisation we had not yet been successful in securing funding. Through Cumbria Exchange, we have been able to kit out our office with everything we need. Not only that but we have also been able to get our logo designed by Dryden Media. Cumbria Exchange has been a life line for all of us at Workington Kids, helping us to get one step closer to opening our doors”
John Bann, Chair of the Nuclear Community Network, said: “The Network exists to ensure that companies working in the nuclear sector in West Cumbria are coordinating their efforts to best serve the communities in which they operate. These two examples show just how this is happening on a practical level. Thank you to Shepley Engineers and Wood for their efforts in supporting this”.
What was achieved?
- North Lakes Foodbank received shelving to support a growing need for storage space
- Workington Kids received office equipment
Benefit
- Unused equipment from businesses was redistributed and utilised by the 3rd sector
Where can I find out more about the parties involved?
- North Lakes Foodbank – http://www.thefoodbank.org.uk
- Shepley Engineers – http://www.shepleyengineers.co.uk
- Wood – http://www.woodplc.com