Eastwood funeral firm donates £500 to town's food bank as cost of living crisis continues

Gillotts funeral director Joanne Hutsby and funeral arranger Jodie Wardle discovered just how much their donation would help when they visited Eastwood Food Bank, across the road from the company’s office in Nottingham Road, last week.

Gillotts donated the funds to the food bank after raising the money through its recent Christmas remembrance appeal, when it invited families to visit its Eastwood and Kimberley offices and leave a message to a departed loved one on the branches of its Christmas trees.

The funeral firm put aside £1 for every label that was left, while visitors also donated money and left bags of groceries for the food bank as well.

Eastwood Food Bank has been running for a number of years and currently gives out free bags of groceries to dozens of people and families living in Eastwood and Kimberley each week.

Joanne said: “We supported Eastwood Food Bank through our remembrance appeal and although it’s a sad sign of the times we live in we’re happy to help them for another year.

“We work with families right across the community and we know from them how hard the pandemic and life in general has been for many of them.

“What was really nice was the way in which so many of our visitors left food and household items as well as making a donation and leaving a tag.”

Susan Bagshaw, manager of Eastwood Food Bank, said the food bank is as busy as ever and that donations are always gratefully received.

She said: “We’re very grateful to Gillotts for supporting us once again.

“We are as busy as ever helping local families to get by and this money will help us to pay for the essential food items that families need.”

Gillotts operates five branches, in Eastwood, Kimberley, Heanor, Selston and Stapleford, and has also made donations to three other food banks in the area.

Many food banks are currently bracing themselves for an increase in families requiring their services due to rising living costs and fuel bills.

People can drop off their donations for Eastwood Food Bank from Monday to Thursday, from 9am until 2pm at Eastwood Volunteer Bureau, Wellington Place.