East of England Co-op has donated its £100,000 Christmas marketing budget to local warm hubs and foodbanks, helping local people in need of support this winter.
Working with Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex Community Foundations, the retail society will split £70,000 among warm hubs, and the remaining £30,000 will be donated to 25 local foodbanks.
The donations will be given out in foodbank parcels in the form of vouchers which can be used to pay for items such as groceries, electric and gas top-ups from East of England stores.
The money would typically be spent on marketing leaflets featuring the East of England Co-op’s Christmas offers, usually distributed to 0.5m homes across the region. The donation will instead benefit thousands of local people through Christmas and into January, February and beyond.
Niall O’Keeffe, joint chief executive of East of England, said: “Warm hubs have been created in the face of spiralling energy costs and demand on foodbanks this winter is expected to be unprecedented. In these difficult times we have been compelled to do more than we have ever done before. Re-directing our marketing spend to help people directly was morally the right decision knowing the difference the money will make to those most in need in our community.
“We are working closely with the community foundations to ensure this is a donation not just for Christmas, but that will continue to make a difference right through the winter and in particular the tough first few months of the year when there is typically a fall in charitable giving.”
Jackie Pobjoy, business manager at Walton Community Centre, one of the facilities benefiting from the donation said: “We will be offering food, warmth, practical support and so much more, all under one roof, creating an accessible space which anyone can use without fear of judgement. Running a warm hub has the potential to make a huge difference in our community, particularly in Walton where there are no other services like this. We are extremely grateful to the East of England Co-op for their financial support, which will directly benefit so many people locally who are having to make a tough choice between heating or eating. It is a hard time for everybody right now.”
Henry Wilson from Reach Haverhill foodbank added: “As the nights draw in and it is getting colder, more families need help from our foodbank than at any other time in our 14-year history. We have already fed more children in 2022 than any other year and we still have 6 weeks to go. Therefore, the very generous donation of vouchers for food and heating is incredibly welcome. We value the dignity that vouchers afford people, giving them far more choice and empowering families who find themselves facing a financial crisis and hardship.”
The marketing budget re-direct ends a significant year of giving for the East of England Co-op, which donated more than £400,000 to local charities and good causes in 2022.
