Sutton food bank praises pubs for helping to feed the hungry during lockdown

Linda Smith, food bank manager, and Coun Tom Hollis, deputy leader of Ashfield District Council have praised local pubs including nine Greene King pubs in the area and others like Ego at The Old Ashfield, the Countryman, the Carnarvon and the Sir John Cockle for helping the food bank to meet the unprecedented demand for food at this time.

Latest figures show a surge in children claiming free school meals with nearly 4,470 children now claiming them across the Ashfield district.

This is the highest amount of claimants in Nottinghamshire – and Mansfield is second with 3,863 children claiming free school meals.

Pensioner poverty is also high with dozens of elderly residents signing up to the free service.

Linda Smith said: “We’ve never seen anything like it – many of our poorest families are going hungry and we weren’t about to stand back and do nothing.

"This was especially true during the October half-term holidays.

That’s why we have ramped up our operations and the pubs have been magnificent in helping us.

"We have taken their vast food donations and turned them into practical food parcels helping hundreds of local people.

“No-one should go hungry in the second national lockdown.”

Coun Hollis has been helping with collecting food, making up food parcels and delivering them to families across Carsic, Huthwaite and Sutton-in-Ashfield.

He said, “The amount of people signing up to this crucial service is staggering, I’m sometimes doing three or four trips from each pub.

"Their generosity has been amazing, not a scrap of food is wasted and staff at the pubs have been so excited to help us make a difference.”

The food bank is still looking for volunteer drivers to deliver the food.

All drivers will be paid expenses to cover their costs.

If you would like to volunteer at the food bank or make a donation, then please contact Linda Smith on 07867 451424.