Banbury pub launches clothing collection drive to help community during Covid-19 pandemic

A Banbury pub has launched a second hand clothing collection to help vulnerable people in the community during Covid-19 pandemic.
The Bell pub has launched a second hand clothing collection to help vulnerable people in the community during Covid-19 pandemic.The Bell pub has launched a second hand clothing collection to help vulnerable people in the community during Covid-19 pandemic.
The Bell pub has launched a second hand clothing collection to help vulnerable people in the community during Covid-19 pandemic.

Even the though the Bell pub is closed to customers due to the lockdown it continues to find ways to serve the community of Grimsbury and the wider Banbury area.

Sian Marie Griffiths, the landlady at the pub, said: "We are currently closed but are still supporting vulnerable families and the elderly by delivering food parcels."

During the November 2020 lockdown they raised more than £600 through an online JustGiving webpage to help support vulnerable families and the elderly with food parcels and deliveries during isolation.

The Bell pub has launched a second hand clothing collection to help vulnerable people in the community during Covid-19 pandemic.The Bell pub has launched a second hand clothing collection to help vulnerable people in the community during Covid-19 pandemic.
The Bell pub has launched a second hand clothing collection to help vulnerable people in the community during Covid-19 pandemic.

She added: "We are extremely moved by the generous donations for our last campaign when the community came together to donate food, which was put to good use with food parcels and to feed the children. Our page was tweeted by Marcus Rashford, which was amazing."

The pub encourages anyone in need of food parcels to reach out to them with a private message on Facebook, and anything said will be in complete confidence.

The pub has now launched a new scheme to further help the community during the ongoing pandemic.

Sian said: "We are now trying to launch a collection for children’s clothes. When the pub reopens we will have a sale for parents to come and buy the clothes at cheap prices, and we know the guide lines from the government."

All the clothes will be priced from £1-£10 and all the money will go in to supporting families and elderly people. The sale will likely take place from 10am to 12pm before the pub opens.

The pub is now accepting any girls or boys clothes up to age 16. They can be dropped at the pub, and left at its back gate.

Sian added: "Any clothes that contain marks we can not get off (we will wash the clothes again because of Covid) we will take to a charity shop so no clothes go to waste.

"Thank you so much for all your help in our journey helping others. If you yourself need help please let me know, and I will always endeavour to help as much as I can. The Grimsbury community has been amazing, and I can not thank you enough."