Thatcham’s Supermarket Sweep for West Berks Foodbank

Our Howden Thatcham branch has donated over £1,000’s worth of groceries to West Berks Foodbank, to help feed 555 local families – including 1,276 children – in need over the summer holidays.

Taking to the aisles of Tesco Newbury, our team played the classic gameshow Supermarket Sweep and filled six trolleys with cupboard staples, toiletries, nappies, snacks, drinks, ice lollies, and more.

While the Supermarket Sweep was a fun and engaging way to gather donations, it also highlights just how many local people face food insecurity, especially during the summer when school meals are unavailable.

Fran Chamings, Manager of West Berks Foodbank, said: “Many people don’t realise that the school summer holidays can be just as difficult as the cold winter months. But in reality, hundreds of local families are reliant on school lunches, and without this meal in the holidays, it’s a real challenge.

“Working with pastoral teams from 49 local schools, the foodbank has delivered in excess of 25 tonnes of food to support households. Bulk food deliveries are sent to each school and distributed by the school to their families. West Berks Foodbank has also offered personalised support to families needing nappies, baby formula or who have food allergies or specific dietary requirements.”

The haul includes over 300 tins and cans, 150 packs of biscuits, 100 juice cartons, and over 600 individual toiletries and household cleaning products.

Carlie Norwell, Business Development Manager at Howden Thatcham, was inspired to organise the event when a competition winner asked for their prize to go towards a local cause. She explained: “We recently held a contest to win a £500 pre-loaded Mastercard, and our winner Chris Ellis, of Horsepower Kustoms, asked if we could instead donate his prize to a local foodbank.

“Howden decided to match fund the £500 after hearing about the generosity of Chris, our winner, and work with West Berks Foodbank, who provide incredible support to local families. None of this would have been possible without Fran and the West Berks Foodbank team, the incredible team at Tesco Newbury, nor Chris himself!”

If you, or someone you know, would like to know more about the support available through the West Berkshire Foodbank, visit here. And to learn more about Howden Thatcham, simply give your local branch a ring or visit in person and speak with a member of the team.