Hartlepool Borough Council staff weigh in with bumper donation to food bank

Lisa Lavender (left), Deputy Co-ordinator of Hartlepool Foodbank, with Penny Thompson, Head of Service The Childrens Hub and Partnerships at Hartlepool Borough Council.

They donated a wide range of non-perishable food enough for 1,646 meals, and toiletries throughout November as part of a Reverse Advent Calendar.

The initiative was run by the council’s Children’s Hub which provides information, advice and guidance on services and support for children, young people and families.

Three collection points were set up on different floors of Hartlepool Civic Centre, and another was established at the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) in Brierton Lane.

In total, the donations weighed in at 691.6kg and have been given to Hartlepool Foodbank in Church Street.

Lisa Lavender, the food bank’s Deputy Co-ordinator, said: “When we arrived at the Civic Centre to collect the items we were staggered to see just how much had been donated.

“We are so grateful everyone who contributed, their generosity will help us to bring some Christmas cheer into the lives of some of Hartlepool’s neediest families.”

Penny Thompson, the council’s Head of Service, Children’s Hub and Partnerships, added: “There was a brilliant response to the Reverse Advent Calendar and I would like to thank everyone who supported the initiative.”

The food bank has also been boosted recently by Throston Primary School and

Hartlepool United Supporters Trust who also held Reverse Advent Calendar collections at Tesco Express and the Super 6 Stadium.