Southport Pleasureland boss Norman Wallis is giving money and time to ensure local families don’t go hungry this Christmas.
Unveiling the tourist attraction’s latest community initiative, CEO Mr Wallis, said he wants to support local people facing unprecedented hardship, especially over the festive period.
One of the charities he is working with is Compassion Acts, a poverty action organisation, which runs foodbanks and food pantries in the Southport and Formby areas of the Liverpool City Region including Southport Foodbank.
The £5,000 donation from Southport Pleasureland will buy Farmfood vouchers, so clients can choose their own Christmas essentials, and also much-needed food items for the pantry store cupboards.
They are also donating their time with Mr Wallis and members of his team volunteering at the foodbanks this Christmas and shopping for items on the food pantry shopping list.
Norman Wallis said: “The country faces one of its worst ever economic crises and through no fault of their own more families than ever before are turning to foodbanks and community pantries to feed themselves and their families. That’s why charities like Compassion Acts are so crucial.
“As a major local business we wanted to give something back to the local community and try to ensure that fewer people go hungry this Christmas.”
Compassion Acts operates Southport Foodbank which is part of the national Trussell Trust network. There are seven distribution centres throughout the town.
They also operate five weekly food pantries in Southport and Formby, where members pay £5 each time they shop and can choose around £20 worth of food and other essentials.
Mr Wallis called into the Compassion Acts’ offices in Sussex Street this week to meet CEO Richard Owens and to collect the shopping list.
Richard Owens said: “We are thrilled to have such a high-profile corporate partner as Southport Pleasureland.
“This generous donation will go a long way to bringing some Christmas cheer with shopping vouchers but also donating some of our essential items for January. Once Christmas is over the needs are still there and we are expecting a tough winter for many in the squeezed middle also.”
Mr Wallis’s decision to support them followed an urgent appeal by the Trussell Trust, which says for the very first time demand for food from hungry families is outstripping supply. They have warned of a “tsunami of need” this winter and in response have launched an emergency cash appeal.
He said: “As well as contributing financially, as part of our on-going community support initiatives, it also gives us the opportunity to join other volunteers in packing and distributing food and learning more about the invaluable work of the charity. ”
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