Staff at Heysham power stations have donated £16,000 to Morecambe Bay Foodbank, after deciding to forgo their usual on-site Christmas lunches.
The sites’ Covid precautions meant that the planned sit-down, end-of year lunches had to be postponed, and so the staff decided to donate the cost of the dinners to charity.
Martin Cheetham, station director at Heysham 1, said: “The staff wanted to support the Foodbank, which was great, so we joined up with our colleagues at Heysham 2 to double the donation.”
Martin was joined on a visit to the Foodbank by Heysham 2 station director Mark Lees and union representatives Trevor Sperring, Lucas Carr-Dixon and Dan Lawson, where they met Annette Smith, the Foodbank’s manager.
They were given a tour of the site at Morecambe’s Platform and met some of the volunteers who are providing this valuable service.
Annette said: “The money from the power stations means that we can buy in whatever we need to support our families. It really is appreciated and I know it will make many families’ lives a little easier. This time last year we were looking after about 70 families a week but that has increased to around 300, as the pandemic, furloughing and unemployment has hit parts of the area hard. We expect numbers to peak in the run up to Christmas. We are seeing families coming to the Foodbank who have never been to us before and to see hardship on this scale is heart-breaking.”
The Foodbank puts together boxes of essentials to help families, but for Christmas the charity adds a few festive items such as biscuits and chocolates.
Anyone wanting to support the Foodbank can contact them by the website: https://morecambebay.foodbank.org.uk
'Significant progress' as repair work continues after Lancaster-Barrow train came off tracks
Council teams go head-to-head to pull seven-and-a-half tonne truck in Lancaster
Morecambe artist returns to exhibit at 'Olympics of art world' in Venice
Appeal after break-in attempt at hospice shop in Morecambe
'Increasingly concerned' police renew appeal to find man who went missing in Morecambe
West End Festival announces return in 2024
INTERVIEW: Drummer shares his music memories from Simply Red stardom to glorious Morecambe sunsets
Celebrate Earth Day in Lancaster district
INTERVIEW: How the Prince's Trust is helping young people in Lancaster and Morecambe
Woman rescued near Morecambe Promenade as lifeboat called out three times in a day
Firefighters called to house fire in Morecambe
Human remains found near Silverdale included 'skull believed to be male'
Lancaster City Council secures more than £750,000 from government towards Supa Skips clean up
Man suffers serious facial injury in ‘vicious attack’ by man ‘in possession of knuckledusters’
INTERVIEW: Morecambe antiques dealer moves to new home in Lancaster city centre
Morecambe Winter Gardens advertise new paid roles for ‘People’s Palace’
Morecambe and Lancaster arts groups receive award nomination for school vaccination project
Morecambe projects helping young adults with mental health receive a cash boost
Crews extinguish lorry fire in Morecambe
Life of dedicated scout leader will be celebrated in Morecambe
