Food collection brings festive cheer to Banbury families

Sanctuary Housing employees have been collecting essential food items, along with a few seasonal treats, to support Banbury Foodbank and the Sunshine Centre.

Generous contributions have included everything from tea bags and tinned fruit to biscuits, chocolates and Christmas puddings, with the donations delivered to the two local causes by Sanctuary’s very own band of little helpers.

Banbury Foodbank will use the donations to help it to deliver emergency food parcels to people in need over Christmas, while the Sunshine Centre is raffling a festive hamper to raise funds for its work supporting families.

David Holgarth, of Banbury Foodbank, said: “We don’t believe that anyone in our community should have to face going hungry over the Christmas period or at any other time of the year. We’d like to say a big thank you to the staff at Sanctuary for choosing to support us with their festive collection.”

Sunshine Centre manager Jill Edge added: “We’re so grateful for this seasonal show of support, which will help us provide an important service to local families not just at Christmas, but right throughout the year.”

Sanctuary’s neighbourhood partnership manager Kate Winstanley, who led on the collection, commented: “We were keen to support these two fantastic facilities having seen first-hand the difference they make to people in our local community.”

Banbury Foodbank, based in The People’s Church, provides nutritionally-balanced, three-day emergency food parcels, giving out a total of 1,836 to local people last year.

The Sunshine Centre, in Edmunds Road, provides support to children under the age of five and their families offering a variety of activities, information, play and help from professionals working in a wide range of fields.

Sanctuary Housing manages more than 5,400 homes in Cherwell.