The Rotary Club of Ipswich East has donated £5,000 to local charity Families in Need (FIND) after a successful year of fundraising in 2017 which included the annual Orwell Walk, Run and Cycle, relaunched for 2018 as The Orwell Challenge.
The £5,000 donation to FIND has helped the charity to make a fantastic start to the ‘FIND 50’ £100,000 fundraising appeal for a new foodbank in Ipswich, which is encouraging 50 businesses, clubs and schools to each raise £2,000 or more for the charity during 2018.
The presentation of the £5,000 cheque was made by The Rotary Club of Ipswich East’s Vice President, David Knights, who said: “We have been a supporter of FIND for many years and are delighted to get behind this new fundraising campaign. FIND has a vital role in our community, helping people who are in poverty and crisis with food parcels, and we want to see the charity continue its successful work.”
Maureen Reynel MBE, founder and Board Chair of the charity, said: “I’d like to thank Ipswich East Rotary for their incredible generosity. Their donation has helped us make a fantastic start to our very challenging target of raising £100,000 this year to help fund a permanent base for the food bank. We are calling for local companies, clubs, schools and other organisations to make FIND their charity of the year and be part of our FIND 50.”
A suitable building for the new foodbank has been identified with the help of Ipswich Borough Council and a planning application was submitted this month to make the necessary alterations so FIND can have a permanent home. If successful, it is hoped that work can begin within the next few months. FIND will then move out of its temporary home which has been provided for many years by The East of England Co-op, a long-term supporter of the charity.
Kingsfleet Wealth has joined the FIND 50 campaign at the start of 2018. Barnes Construction, quantity surveyors Castons, Hoopers Architects, structural engineers MLM, Building Services Engineers JSH Consulting and Barker Gotelee solicitors meanwhile have all been working pro bono for FIND alongside Genesis PR who are running the appeal. The EADT and Ipswich Star along with the Mayor of Ipswich, Councillor Sarah Barber, have also given their support.
FIND volunteers collect, sort, pack and distribute over 70 food parcels each week and in December, Ipswich East Rotary swelled the ranks of the FIND volunteers helping to make up and deliver over 2,000 parcels of food and Christmas gifts for people living in poverty or crisis in Ipswich and the wider community.
Any businesses, schools and clubs which would like to take part in FIND 50 fundraising and publicity should email FIND50@genesispr.co.uk.
Donations of non-perishable food items and toiletries can be made to any local participating East of England Co-Op, Waitrose at Futura Park and Sainsbury’s at Warren Heath.