It’s no secret the cost of living crisis has hit families hard across the nation and this festive season will be very different for many. That’s why our very own Norman Wallis and the whole Southport Pleasureland team are rolling up their sleeves to help feed families across the Liverpool City region this Christmas.
Feeding families for Christmas
Norman and all of the team have partnered with local food banks and community pantries across the Liverpool City region to provide much needed physical support in the run-up to Christmas.
Norman’s first act of kindness was to collect the food vouchers Southport Pleasureland purchased at a local Farmfoods supermarket for Compassion Acts, a poverty action organisation that helps to feed hungry families in the Southport and Formby areas.
As well as this, Norman and our amazing staff members will be volunteering their time at the Lakeside Church food bank and Scarisbrick New Road Baptist Church, where they’ll be handing out the vouchers to families-in-need so they can buy their own essentials in time for Christmas Day.
The spirit of good will doesn’t end there either as we’ve donated £5,000 to support local people facing unprecedented hardship. This donation means much needed food items can be purchased for the food banks and pantry store cupboards.
Norman Wallis said:
“So many families are facing winter hardship and with the recent freezing temperatures, many are choosing heating rather than food. No-one should go hungry, especially at this time of year, and I wanted to do something to make a difference.
“But it’s not just about giving cash from our community fund, I felt it was equally important for us to get down to the food banks, see for ourselves the vital service they provide and physically help the volunteers by handing out vouchers.”
Who are Compassion Acts and what do they do?
With seven distribution centres across the area, Compassion Acts operates the Southport food bank which is part of the national Trussell Trust network. They also operate five weekly food pantries in Southport and Formby, where members pay £5 each time they shop and choose around £20 worth of food and other essential items.
Compassion Acts’ vision is to see an end to poverty, hunger and the need for food banks. Their five-year strategy, ‘Going Upstream’, details how they intend to work in a more preventative way and aim to catch people before they reach crisis point and need emergency intervention such as food bank support.
As well as food bank support, they also offer welfare benefits and debit advice. This is a completely free and open service to anyone living in the Southport and Formby areas and is staffed by fully trained advisors.
Find out how you can help
If you’d like to help this festive season, whether that’s to donate food or money, volunteer a few hours of your time, or you’d like to hold a fundraising event for this great cause, visit Compassion Acts’ website for more information.
