In 2020 and 2021 the people of Cheshire once again demonstrated their enormous kindness and generosity. As lockdown, furlough, job losses continued and the families whose children were not able to access free school meals while homeschooling were struggling to eat, food poverty topped our agenda. There were many families who had never needed to apply for benefits, forced to access emergency food while working with the local authority remotely to get the support they needed.
Nick ‘Hoppy’ Hopkinson, the then High Sheriff, yet again rose to the challenge and with his support, and thanks to the huge fundraising efforts of David Briggs, CCF launched an online End Food Poverty Appeal which raised £148,000.
Funds were raised, applications for funding were assessed and grants were distributed within just a few weeks. Every donor saved lives through their generosity.
As these videos demonstrate, one of the biggest achievements of the End Food Poverty Appeal was the Warrington Food Network. This network prevents gaps in provision, as well as reducing waste and duplication, and demonstrates how Community Foundations can act strategically to ensure every penny is well spent.