Drumroll! Our Charity of the Year is...

The time has come again – We have asked our employees, and our employees have answered by submitting their nominations for the charity to receive a generous donation from the D J Sidebottom / Glasdon Charitable Programme.

After carefully considering each nominated candidate, we finally made a decision. Glasdon is delighted to announce ‘Fresh Food 4 Families’ as our charity of the year.

Run by Diane Ireland from her home in Newton, Fresh Food 4 Working Families is a growing charity that provides food parcels to 44 families in areas along the Fylde Coast, including Kirkham and Wesham, Wrea Green and Lytham, Freckleton and Warton, Poulton Le Fylde and Garstang, Weeton and Staining, St Anne’s and Singleton, and Blackpool.

Due to the remoteness of these areas, and regular food banks no longer offering deliveries, Fresh Food 4 Working Families has not only been delivering food parcels but a vital service to struggling families. The charity has been a boon to communities, offering fresh food to improve the diets and mental health of working families unable to make ends meet and, in some cases, turned away from food banks. Having worked for Trussell Trust, Diane knows the difference something as simple as a meat voucher can make to someone in need.

It costs Diane up to £1,500 per month to feed 44 families, delivering parcels that provide food for the week, and toiletries and sanitary products for the month.

Diane is also working with Adam Little Boxing and local police to provide fresh fruit and sandwiches to youths participating in a boxing/martial arts course. The kids involved have a record of anti-social behaviour and causing a nuisance in Kirkham. By giving them an outlet in boxing, anti-social behaviour in the area has decreased by up to 90%.

Fresh Food 4 Working Families will receive £10,000 which will ensure many families will receive vital food parcels for close to eight months.

For more information on Fresh Food 4 Working Families and Diane Ireland’s work, visit the charity’s facebook page.

That’s not all...

Just like in previous years, instead of sending Company Christmas Cards to staff, customers and suppliers, we will be donating £500 to two charities that were nominated for the Glasdon Employee Charity of the Year. The two charities selected this year are ‘Kicks Count’, a charity dedicated to reducing the UK’s high rates of stillbirths and neonatal deaths by raising awareness of the baby movement, and ‘The Streetlife Trust’, a youth work charity providing emergency shelter and support to vulnerable and homeless young people aged 16-25 in Blackpool and its surrounding areas.

Due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, we have decided to make an additional donation of £5,000 to the Fylde Food Bank and Faith in the Community/The Pantry.

We would like to take the opportunity to thank all the aforementioned charities for the commitment, care and support they deliver to their local communities.

The DJ Sidebottom/Glasdon Charitable Programme provides support for charities and community projects with donations, grants and fundraising initiatives. All activities are funded by Glasdon Group Limited, with the full support of our Founder and Chairman, Donald J Sidebottom MBE, FCIHT and the Board of Directors. Applications for grants and support can be made on our grant application page.