Towngate donates £1,000 to help feed 19 families for a week

Brighouse-based commercial and industrial lettings specialist, Towngate PLC, has donated £1,000 to a West Yorkshire food bank – a contribution which will feed 55 people, or 19 families, for a week.

The Welcome Centre, which is based in Huddersfield, has maintained the same objective over its 25 years of service – to support local people in crisis and provide individuals and families with food and other essential items in their time of need.

In April this year, the charity saw its busiest month on record – supporting over 1,114 individuals and providing 1,683 crisis packs of food and toiletries to those who needed them most. And, in 2019 alone, the centre distributed the equivalent of 239,611 meals in the South Kirklees area.

The Welcome Centre, which has remained open throughout the crisis, has been required to adapt to a new delivery system for clients, made possible by the support of Kirklees Council and Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing.

Despite the turbulent and uncertain times that the pandemic has brought on, the centre has seen a surge in generosity from the local community, with businesses, families and individuals extending a hand to help those who are struggling due to COVID-19.

Towngate is no stranger to charitable donations, and, in 2020 alone has donated over £16,000 to various beneficiaries, including Kirkwood Hospice, Marie Curie, and Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.

Emma Greenough, fundraising manager at The Welcome Centre, commented on Towngate’s charitable offering: “We have thankfully seen a significant increase in donations and volunteering from the business community in recent months. We’re very grateful to Towngate, which made its first donation to us back in December, it’s so humbling to know we stuck in the firm’s mind for a second donation in support of the work we do.”

Commenting further, Towngate’s managing director, Robert Smith noted: “It’s been a difficult start to the year all round and we thought it was important to support those who are struggling during COVID-19. We really appreciate all the amazing work The Welcome Centre does, and hope to be of assistance to the charity in the future.”