Local businesses get together to support their local community

Some years ago we decided to eschew the usual corporate gift-giving and instead spend that budget supporting local worthy causes. This year one local issue stood out – the issue of food poverty. 

It’s not a local problem, really it’s a nationwide problem. But local Food Banks can be found up and down the country, and they really need help. Especially at Christmas. And especially this year, with the cost-of-living crisis and elevated fuel prices exacerbating the situation. It won’t have escaped your notice that things are looking Dickensian. 

No one should have to go without food in modern Britain. Unheated homes and empty cupboards should be consigned to the past. Food and fuel poverty lead to cold and hungry children. It’s unacceptable. We can’t solve the problem. We can’t do much.

We can do something.

This led the PLOTT team to choose the “Christmas Emergency Fund Appeal” as our 2022 charity. The fund was conceived to attract donations of money and food for local Food Banks. This is an excellent way to get your donations direct to people in your community that need it the most. 

The charity recipient chosen, it was time for us to get to work. By “us” I mean Anna. She set about recruiting friends from the Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce network. Anna is a pretty persuasive and insistent person, as anyone who knows her can attest. In this case her persuasiveness was not required, as companies and individuals gave enthusiastically and generously. There’s a real sense of communities wanting to pull together.

The Food Drive was a success, with donations from PLOTT, OnLogistics, Katie Hale, Burley Browne and Rota Spa. Others generously donated money, and PLOTT have been delighted with the overall response. They would like to thank: Ark, tmWare, G Comms, The Fig & Olive Restaurant, ORS, Cookes Furniture, AF Selection for their financial contributions.

The response was excellent, with car-boots full of food delivered – along with donations adding up to over one-thousand pounds. Care was taken to supply the Food Bank with staple items such as tinned vegetables – but also some non-perishable necessities and treats fit for Christmas Day. Selection boxes for the kids, gravy, stuffing and snacks.