Housing association £5,000 staff fundraising campaign supports Christmas food bank appeal

With over 600,000 people expected to need emergency food parcels this winter, the cash will help food banks within the charity’s network continue to provide emergency support, while they work together in the long term to build a country without the need for food banks.

Hightown’s charity committee has raised funds through various activities since staff voted the Trussell Trust as their nominated charity in 2022, including quiz nights, bake sales and raffles. Thanks to the support of local companies, including Away Resorts who donated a three-night holiday and the XC who donated a family high ropes session, its recent festive raffle raised over £800.

Maylands Avenue based Hightown owns and manages over 8,700 affordable homes across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire for people who cannot afford to buy or rent a home at market value, more than a quarter of which are in Dacorum.

David Bogle, chief executive of Hightown, said:

"As a charitable housing association, we are at the sharp end of supporting members of the community who are hard hit by the cost-of-living crisis, so it is fitting that our staff chose to raise funds for the Trussell Trust, an organisation which provides much-need help to people facing financial hardship through a network of food banks and campaigns for a future where food banks are no longer necessary.

“A huge credit must go to colleagues who have given their time and money so generously, raising a phenomenal £5,345 for the Trussell Trust in less than two years. We support our chosen charity for a three-year period, so we’re looking forward to adding to this figure with more fundraising activities during 2024.”

This winter, food banks in the Trussell Trust network, which includes DENS in Hemel Hempstead, are expected to hand out over one million emergency food parcels.

Emma Revie, Chief Executive at the Trussell Trust said:

“Thank you to the team at Hightown for their incredible support. This winter is expected to be the toughest yet, with food banks in our network distributing more than one million parcels between December and February which equates to one every eight seconds.

"Food bank teams are working tirelessly to ensure help continues to be available, but ultimately, no-one in the UK should need to turn to a food bank as all of us should have enough money for the essentials.

"The support of Hightown will help food banks within our network continue to provide emergency support, while we work together in the long term to build a country without the need for food banks. Thank you so much.”