CIS Staff give Christmas Boost to Local Foodbanks

So…..just like most other companies this year we cancelled our Office Christmas Party because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We were also very conscious that there was no end in sight to the pandemic restrictions, and that there would be even greater hardship for many people through no fault of their own, and also that, with the prospect of redundancies, prolonged furlough, untimely bereavement, changes to Universal Credit and a host of other reasons, a much increasing food poverty was going to be a terrible situation towards the end of the year for many.

I proposed to the staff the idea of using the funds earmarked for our Staff Christmas Party to instead support local Foodbanks in a practical way. There was no hesitation.

In an ideal world, there wouldn’t be a need for Foodbanks, but the reality is that they are in greater demand than ever before.

We contacted our local Foodbanks (Faringdon, Witney, Oxford and Swindon) and asked what they needed, and arranged to deliver over a metric tonne of food and other non-perishable products to them at the beginning of December.  We completed the deliveries direct to their premises this week.

I could just about push the trolley! One of Four..

I want to share this story with you because I think there may be many other companies in a similar situation to us and we would like to encourage them to do the same – pick up the phone, speak to your local food bank, go shopping on their behalf and help others that are facing a truly miserable period in their lives.

The Foodbank network is under incredible demand from the moment they open, and if just a dozen companies can follow our example, it will make such a difference to those individuals and families that need the safety net that Foodbanks provide.

If anyone reading this wants to ask any questions or find out more – please contact me and I’d be delighted to help with how we did it.   I would also like to acknowledge how proud I am of all the C.I.S. Staff in Faringdon for contributing to this.

Merry Christmas.

Visit these Foodbanks to find out more about what you can do
Faringdon  https://www.faringdontowncouncil.gov.uk/food-bank/
Swindon    https://www.swindonfoodcollective.org/
Oxford       https://oxfordfoodbank.org/
Witney      https://witney.foodbank.org.uk/

Neill

M.D. CIS Ltd.

nls@cisltd.com – www.cisltd.com – 01367 700555