Preston North End and Preston North End Community and Education Trust are joining forces to deliver food hampers to identified vulnerable families living in the Deepdale area during February half-term.
The initiative is being partly funded by both the club and the Trust and will see approximately 140 essential food hampers delivered to those in need in Deepdale over the half-term week.
The Trust has been working in partnership with the Lancashire BME Network and three Deepdale councillors – Zafar Coupland, Ismail Bax and Siraz Natha – who have pinpointed six schools in Deepdale that would benefit from receiving essential goods.
Those six schools have subsequently identified 15 to 20 families each, all of whom will receive food hampers and mental wellbeing resources from Preston North End.
Hampers have been put together with the support of the youth development programme Preston United, and the knife crime awareness campaign, the JJ Effect.
📦 #𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙔𝙤𝙪 to community groups Preston United and the JJ Effect who have been supporting an initiative we will be running during half-term next week, by packing food hampers. 🙏
— Preston North End Community and Education Trust 🌈 (@pnecommunity) February 11, 2021
More details to be confirmed! 👀#pnefc #PNECET pic.twitter.com/Rk9wAKxNCD
A variation of hampers have been put together, supporting those from minority ethnic backgrounds with the inclusion of culturally specific foods, as advised by local community groups and councillors.
Foods have also been purchased from local businesses in Preston to support the dietary requirements of those from all backgrounds.
The goodwill of local businesses – Morrison’s Deepdale and Riversway, KGN Food Store, and Bolton Halal Meat Butchers – where supplies have been purchased, has ensured that families will receive hampers rich with foods and essential goods to last throughout the half-term week within their respective households.
In addition, a further 30 families in Deepdale will receive hampers after being identified together by the Trust and Deepdale Community Association.
Head of community engagement Rebecca Robertson said: “Thanks to funding from the football club and the Trust, we are again supporting our local community with essential food provision during the half-term break.
“For February half-term, we are pleased to be working with local community groups and councillors within the Deepdale ward, who have helped us to identify the vulnerable families that will benefit most from receiving essential goods.
“Deepdale is the home of Preston North End and our local community, who we are proud to be supporting with this initiative, particularly in the half-term break and amid these very challenging times.”
For more information, please email community@pne.com.