Chester Pride Brown Bag Foodbank Appeal 2021

Chester Pride’s 2021 foodbank campaign in aid of the West Cheshire Foodbank launched on Monday 1st November.

In 2020 the campaign managed to collect over 2,000 items, a total that was generously doubled by their partners Bank of America in 2020 taking the final number of items donated to well over 4,000. This year they hope to collect even more items and smash last year’s record.

This year the campaign has a new approach. The Brown Bag appeal allows people who haven’t got the time to shop, or can’t easily drop items off, to donate money to ‘buy a bag’ that Chester Pride will then fill with supplies. Just £5 will fill a standard sized brown shopping bag with enough items to support a person in need. Of course, the public are still free to buy and donate items themselves, and they can drop them off at collection points throughout the city. Items should be non-perishable or long dated, like dried goods, tins, and UHT milk, alcohol free, and still in date.

The Campaign runs from November 1^st 2021 to December 19^th 2021 during which time items can be dropped off at a number of collection partners, such as The Liverpool Arms, The Old Queens Head, The Victoria, The Commercial Bar & Hotel, Oddfellows Arms (Frodsham Street), Chester Indoor Market, Just Cuts, The Red Lion (Northgate Street), Printworks Chester, Bed Student Rentals, Mecca Bingo, Lightfoot Lodge (Hoole), The Old Dukes. Donations can also be made by calling ABC Taxis 01244 43 43 43 who will collect any items from your doorstep, be it a residential or business address within a Chester postcode. People can also visit:

www.chesterpride.co.uk

... and purchase a brown bag that costs £5, which Chester Pride will fill with items needed by the Foodbank after December 19^th.

For the third year running, Chester Pride sponsor Bank of America are supporting the Foodbank appeal, and they will double the amount of items donated. Items required by the Foodbank are long life juices, tinned potatoes, instant mash, instant pasta: mug shots or instant noodles, sponge puddings, cooking sauces, tinned rice pudding, tinned veg, soups, porridge, UHT Milk, Cereal, Biscuits, chocolate, and personal hygiene products, though people are welcome to donate anything that is long-lasting and alcohol free.

The Chair of Chester Pride, Warren Lee Allmark, leads the charity’s efforts to support the West Cheshire Foodbank, as it is a cause close to his heart. He is quoted as saying:

“This campaign is so close to my heart having found out a neighbour on my street had to use the foodbank service when they fell on hard times a few years back. It broke my heart to think of this, and other families, having to rely on this kind of service to be able to eat. This is especially true of LGBT+ people who are also more likely to need the services of a Foodbank. No one should have to use a Foodbank, but the sad reality is that they are now part of our society, so the least we can do is make sure they are fully stocked with nice in date foods to eat. I’ve been blown away that in less than 3 years we have managed to collect nearly 10,000 items, and this year I would love us to be able to report more record numbers which our partners, Bank of America will then double. I’d also reach out to local business to maybe ask their staff to get involved and bring in a tin or two to work. More information or collections can be arranged by emailing foodbank@chesterpride.co.uk”

UPDATES ON CHESTER PRIDE WILL BE POSTED ON WWW.CHESTERPRIDE.CO.UK OR ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES Facebook: ChesterPrideUK Twitter@Chesterpride & Instagram @Chester_Pride_Official

Chester Pride is an LGBT+ focused charity established in 2013. They plan and run the annual Chester Pride event that sees around 15,000 people attend the celebration of diversity. They have also expanded their work and throughout the year to provide charitable projects and services to support the LGBT+ community. Their flagship service is the Just Ask helpline that offers support on any LGBT+ topic or to any LGBT+ person, all year round.

 The charity is proud to support the West Cheshire Foodbank as they know that LGBT+ people are more likely to be vulnerable and in need of support from places like the Foodbank. They also believe in community and are proud to support other organisations and projects that help a wider community in need of support.

West Cheshire Foodbank is part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK, although they are a local Charity in their own right, needing to raise substantial funds to keep going each year. West Cheshire foodbank was founded in 2012 by local churches and community groups, working together towards stopping hunger in the local area. In the 12 months to 31 March 2019, they gave out 9,651 three-day emergency food parcels to local people in crisis, of which 3,553 were for children. West Cheshire Foodbank reaches out to people experiencing crisis and food poverty caused by unjust social and economic policies.

Pictured - Chair of Chester Pride Warren Lee Allmark (centre) and Chester Pride volunteers, hand over the 4,000 items collected as part of Chester Pride’s 2020 Foodbank Appeal to volunteers from the West Cheshire Foodbank.