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Geoff Hallett, Foodbank project manager with Mayor of Bracknell Ian Leake and Pat Hallett Foodbank manager
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Foodbank given boost but still needs puddings

By Hugh Fort
March 19, 2012

Supporters of Bracknell’s Foodbank can now have their donations matched pound for pound after the charity was selected for the Localgiving.com March Match Fund.

For the whole of the month, Localgiving.com will match all the money donated to the Foodbank, which works to provide meals for struggling families across Bracknell Forest.

The money comes from a pot of £375,000 from Localgiving.com to help community projects.

Organiser Geoff Hallett says the charity gets a donation around once every three months.

He said: “It’s a good scheme, it’s done on a first come first served basis and we’ve received a donation a couple of times since we joined.

“We don’t actually always ask for money from people as food donations are far more useful, but we’re very grateful for the support.

“We much prefer donations of food.”

Geoff, who runs the charity with his wife Pat, said the amount of families needing help in Bracknell Forest was increasing month-on-month.

The statistics show the organisation had 27 new referrals in January and helped 196 people. It also gave out 1.6 tonnes of food.

Geoff said: “It is getting busier and busier.

“We work with around 50 partnership agencies and charities who are referring more and more people to us.

“They’re pretty good these people, I can honestly say we’ve never seen anyone who we suspect might be pulling a fast one so it is people who are genuinely in need they send to us.”

He said in terms of the items donated, the charity needed more items of fruit and vegetables.

He also said the charity had ‘plenty’ of pasta, soup and beans, but needed items like tinned rice pudding, UHT milk and tinned sponge pudding.

For more information call (01344) 862 699 or email foodbank@kerith.co.uk

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Most recent user comments 2 of 2

Puddings are not really a staple item; donors should be more focusing on providing tax-free goods. Also, wouldn't a cash donation be better considering the Match Fund is no longer being maintained? At least that way tax payers can claim Gift Aid.

Br
19/03/2012 at 17:13

We'd like to corrrect some errors in this article. Unfortunately, Localgiving.com is not committed to matching funds "for the whole of the month" of March as indicated.

The March Match fund was a pot of £375,000 which we committed to match until such time as that money was allocated to charities in England. The campaign began on March 1 and all the money was allocated by March 2! The speed with which charities snapped up this gift even took us by surprise!

The Foodbank obviously benefitted from the March Match Fund, for which we are very pleased, but readers should be aware that the Match Fund is now over.

Localgiving.com will be running more Match Funds in the area later this year, and in the meantime, those who wish to donate to the Foodbank can do so via www.localgiving.com. Mandy Green, Press Manager, Localgiving.com