Ex-Goodyear workers donate £3k to Feed a Family This Christmas

This incredibly generous gift of in excess of 4,000 items will go towards helping families and individuals in need across the Black Country and Staffordshire.

It’s all thanks to kind-hearted members of the Goodyear workers 5/344 Transport and General Workers Union Benevolent Fund.

Five huge trolleys were loaded with everything from cartons of fruit juice and jars of coffee to noodle pots, breakfast cereal and boxes of biscuits.

There were also essential items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, baby wipes and sanitary towels as well as an array of sweet treats including boxes of chocolates and muffins.

Staff working at Hyperama Cash & Carry in West Bromwich helped select the items to ensure the group got the most for its money.

They have been shared between the Black Country Food Bank, The Well (Home of Wolverhampton Food Bank), the Good Shepherd Ministry, based in Wolverhampton, Cannock and District Food Bank and The Haven women’s and children’s refuge.

Cyril Barrett, chairman of the benevolent fund, said the group was delighted to be supporting the appeal for the third year running.

“It’s very sad that the need for food banks and the like is still so great. The trustees and myself feel this is a good local project helping people in the community.

“If this puts a smile on a child’s face or on a parent’s face then we are very happy because the Goodyear workers were all about kindness and decency.

“I’m immensely proud to be supporting Feed a Family This Christmas again,” he added. Gary Price, from The Well, said the charity was being inundated with calls from people in need.

“The phones don’t stop ringing and we are giving out a ton and a quarter of food every week,” he added.

“We are expecting it to get busier especially during the last week before Christmas. It’s really fantastic to have this donation, especially in the run up to Christmas. It’s such a blessing at any time of the year but more so at Christmas and will help so many people.”

Helen Holloway, from the Good Shepherd Ministry in Wolverhampton, said the group’s generosity would be a big boost.

“It’s fantastic.

“We’ve been able to get luxury items for Christmas in bulk, which we will be able to give out to families.

“It means we can ensure everyone gets the same and gets something special. We can’t thank Cyril and everyone else enough,” she added.

Jade Secker, from The Haven, said: “It’s amazing for the women and children

to be able to indulge in a little bit of luxurious food over the festive period and it really will help to make it a special occasion for them.”

Deputy editor Diane Davies said: “We are so grateful to the amazing former Goodyear workers for their support again this year.

“They have always supported the Feed a Family appeal but the donation this time is simply phenomenal. So many people will be helped thanks to their generosity and we can’t thank them enough.”

The group’s gift takes the number of items donated to the Feed a Family This Christmas appeal since it launched on November 3 to around 8,000. Our campaign is running until December 15 and we are asking for donations of festive food, such as mince pies, chocolates and Christmas puddings as well as store cupboard essentials like canned goods, long-life milk, fruit juice, pasta and rice.

Donations can be taken to:

• E&S Wolverhampton head office: 51-53 Queen Street, Wolverhampton

• Waitrose Wolverhampton, Marston Road, Wolverhampton

• Morrisons, Black Country Route, Bilston

• Saddlers Shopping Centre, Park Street, Walsall

• Sainsbury’s, Reedswood Way, Walsall

• Tesco Extra, New Square, West Bromwich

• Tesco Superstore, Heath Way, Cannock