08 August 2007. Zurich staff from Swindon have made up food boxes for a Swindon charity to distribute to local people in desperate need of food.
Swindon Food Bank, which is now in it’s second year, has already helped nearly 3,000 local people. They provide emergency food for individuals and families who are in crisis.
They were delighted when a group of over 50 staff from Zurich’s HR and Finance Teams offered to make up 20 boxes of non-perishable foods. These are for a range of people from a single person to couples and for families with two and four children. Boxes include tins of beans, fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, pasta, pasta sauce, UHT milk, sugar, teabags, cereals and biscuits.
This project is part of Challenge 2007, Zurich Community Trust’s biggest annual volunteer event with around 45 challenges taking place around Swindon. Staff teams get together to complete one-off projects, which benefit a local organisation. It creates awareness of community issues, can be fun and a teambuilding activity for those involved.
Tony Martin, Zurich Community Trust’s Volunteer Manager commented: “We were delighted to be able to support Swindon Food Bank. They provide an invaluable service to those individuals and families in crisis – literally a lifeline for some.”
Ben Corlett, one of the volunteers from the HR Team said “People either raided their cupboards at home or threw a couple of extra items in the supermarket trolley when carrying out their weekly shop.” He added “It just goes to show that you don’t have to make huge sacrifices to make a big difference to people’s lives”
Sally Anne Carter from Finance said of the challenge “20 of us took part this year. We held a Savoury Bake and organised a Bingo session to raise the money required to fill our 10 boxes.
Richard Belsham of Swindon Food Bank said, “The food boxes that Zurich’s staff have made up will go a long way to feeding local people who have hit a short-term crisis. These people come from all walks of life – from those living in large houses where employment has been lost, through to teenagers who have left home and struggling to survive. This will make a huge difference.”
Last year over 1,500 staff, together with some family and friends, took part in 170 Challenges around Zurich locations across the UK.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Kate Hodges, Communications Manager, Zurich’s Community Trust on 01793 503711 or on her mobile on 07708 269653
Richard Belsham, Project Manager at Swindon Food Bank on 01793 534781 or on his mobile on 07798 930755
Notes to editors
About Swindon Food Bank
- Since opening it’s doors on 14 November 2005, the Foodbank has fed 2,892 people – 1,213 children and 1,679 adults.
- To date we have collected 33 tons of food – 85% has been distributed with the balance stored in a warehouse ready for distribution.
- Demand is increasing and we are feeding over 33 people a week at present.
- The first food bank was started in Salisbury by The Trussel Trust in 2000, a registered charity, specialising in the development of life-changing community projects in the UK and Bulgaria.
- The Trussel Trust was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award in 2003 in recognition of it’s work to provide food to local people in crisis, and the support it has given to voluntary and statutory organisations.
- In 2004 the food bank project was offered as a franchise and there are now 9 food banks in the UK including Salisbury, Gloucester, Milton Keynes, Redruth, Calne, Inverness and more recently Swindon, Bude and Andover.
About Challenge 2007
- Challenge 2007 was launched internally to Zurich staff in conjunction with Capita staff on 2 May. Staff from Birmingham, Cheltenham, Hampshire, Leeds, Sutton and Swindon took up over 140 challenges on that day.
- Challenge projects range from re-decoration, to entertaining a group of people (often a BBQ or party), to re-plant or clear a garden area to taking groups out on day trips. Sometimes, it can be providing volunteers for events, fundraising or collecting books.
- These challenges will typically be completed anytime from now until the end of September.
- Staff will meet up with the local charity to agree what needs to be done. Fundraising and asking for donated goods, to carry out the challenge, will then commence. Zurich’s Community Trust will match any monies raised by 50%. Health & Safety have vetted all Challenges and Zurich’s Health & Safety team is on hand if a further review if required.
About Zurich’s Community Trust
- Zurich’s Community Trust, a registered charity funded by pre-tax profits and donations from its people, provides an umbrella for all Zurich’s community involvement in the UK.
- Zurich Community Trust manages and matches Zurich employees' and financial advisers' £1 million donations, 20,000 hours of volunteering including 174 annual team challenge activities involving over 3,000 staff.
- Zurich's Community Trust Programmes create sustainable change through long-term funding and active employee involvement. Zurich works closely with innovative partners to significantly impact the lives of disadvantaged people in the UK and overseas. The Programmes tackle the most vulnerable older people’s issues and our Breaking the Cycle programme works with families to break the generational cycle of harm of drug addiction. In addition, there is a programme in southern India with personal development opportunities for employees. In 2006 over 700 charities and 17 community partners were supported.
- Visit Zurich’s website on www.zurich.org.uk for more details.
