CitySprint — the UK’s largest same day distribution company — has partnered with anti-poverty charity the Trussell Trust, to support them in their mission for a future without the need for food banks in the UK.
The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of over 1,300 food bank centres and provides emergency food and help to people locked in poverty, as well as campaigning for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. Last year, food banks in the Trussell Trust network distributed over 2.5 million emergency food parcels to people in crisis across the UK and nearly a million of these were for children.
In addition to this, 2021 also marks CitySprint’s 11th year of partnership with Crisis, the national charity for homeless people. Each year, CitySprint provides three vehicles for the Crisis team year-round to collect and distribute donations, with extra vans supplied at Christmas.
In support of their CSR strategy and as part of their Colleague Volunteer Programme, CitySprint employees that donate a day of their time to volunteering with, or fundraising for, the Trussell Trust, Crisis or another local charity will also receive an extra day of holiday.
Speaking about the partnership, Sarah Gibbs, People Director at CitySprint said: “Our business has, and always will, put people first, which is why we are honoured to partner with the Trussell Trust to support them in their mission to ensure everyone can afford the essentials in life in the UK. This has been a difficult year for many of us, and we want to do what we can to make a difference. All of us at CitySprint are looking forward to getting involved with the Trussell Trust and raising as much money as we can to provide assistance to people that are facing hardship.”
CitySprint will be donating £20,000 per year to the Trussell Trust and has set an overall fundraising target of £150,000 for the business and its employees for 2022 to be spread across various charities and good causes.
Sophie Carre, Head of Corporate Partnerships at the Trussell Trust, said: “We are very grateful to the team at CitySprint for their incredible support. As we enter the winter period, more people are likely to need a food bank’s help and food banks across our network face providing over 7,000 food parcels to people in crisis every day throughout December. But ultimately, no one in the UK should need a food bank – all of us should have enough money for the essentials like food, clothing and heating. The support of CitySprint will help food banks within our network continue to provide the lifeline of emergency support for local people in crisis, while we work in the long term to end the need for food banks, for good. Thank you so much.”