Not only our busiest month for deliveries, October was also a bumper month for donations.
Some of the stories from our many supporters, plus a roll call of the organisations and individuals who gave so cheerfully to help local families in crisis.
Cumnor House School for Girls was one of 24 schools and nurseries which donated Harvest food collections during October. Amelia (Head Girl), Alyssa (Charity Prefect) and Kezia (Deputy HG) are shown delivering their donations on 13th October.
Afterwards Alyssa wrote an account of the girls’ visit for the school newsletter:
“There were so many bags, 36 to be exact, which filled up two school buses. I think that’s the most donations we’ve ever had. [At the Food Hub] we were greeted by the co-ordinator, Louise. We carried the items into the church using a shopping trolley.
Inside we were able to see the operation behind the scenes. The first job was checking the use-by dates, to make sure all of the items were within date. Labels were placed on the food items to identify the items expiring soon. Then they sorted them into boxes which filled two storage rooms.
Afterwards we were able to see the shelving area, they have pre-made lists – a single person may be list A, a family with two children may be list F. Each item is categorised, nappies in one section, gluten-free cereal in another and so on.
I learned we should always make sure we help others where we can and we should be extremely grateful for the things we have, that we should try really hard not to waste food as some people aren’t in the same positions we are. We are very blessed.”
Residents and friends of Abbeyfield House (Southern Oaks) in Purley Knoll, kindly donated food and £93.20 from their Harvest Festival service on 7th October. With her donation, Alison (aged 103 and a former volunteer with the Food Hub for many years) inserted a card saying “with thanks for all I have at Harvest time.”
Pictured are (back row): Brenda (manager), Tim, Howard (volunteer, who also volunteers with the Food Hub), David, William. (front): Alison, Vicky, Marjorie (volunteer, and with the Food Hub).
During the Food Hub session on Saturday 4th October Greg and Dave from Junction Road Residents’ Association in South Croydon delivered a cheque for £500 from their street party in June (after the £335 they gave us from their 2024 event).
A few days later JRRA’s Acting Chair, Debby, who works for Lloyds Bank, let us know that the bank was donating a further £500 through its matched giving scheme.
Greg, holding the cheque, and Dave are pictured with volunteers Food Hub Dawn, Andrea and Mafalda, with supporter Vivien.
Donations were received during October from…
COMMUNITY GROUPS
11th Wallington Beaver Scouts, Abbeyfield House (Southern Oaks), Purley, Cameo, Purley Baptist Church, Croydon Communities Consortium, Hayes Court Care Home, Kenley, Infohealth Pharmacies, Coulsdon, Inner Wheel Club of Croydon, Junction Road Residents’ Association, South Croydon, Lavender Oaks Care Home, Carshalton, Lloyds Bank, Sanderstead Methodist Coffee Club.
INDIVIDUALS/FAMILIES
Annie, David & Valerie, Ella, Gareth, Glorie & Edwin, Gwen & Kiran, Hilary, Iman, Jorden, Leah, Lin & Bob, Linda, Marcy, Margaret, Marili & Steve, Martin & Eleanor, Noel, Oliver, Ravi, Richard, Sheila, Stephen, Sue, Tom, Tony, Veronica, Vivien.
COLLECTION POINTS/YELLOW BINS
Cumberlands, Kenley, Heathhurst Road, Sanderstead, Kendall Avenue South, South Croydon, Selsdon Road, South Croydon.
CHURCHES
Alive City, Purley, All Saints, Kenley, All Saints, Sanderstead, Christ Church, Purley, Coulsdon Methodist, Croham Road Baptist, South Croydon, Emmanuel, South Croydon, Grace Vineyard, Purley, Norbury Baptist, Old Coulsdon Congregational, Purley Baptist, Purley United Reformed, Sanderstead Methodist, St Aidan’s, Coulsdon, St Augustine’s, South Croydon, St Gertrude’s, South Croydon, St James’, Riddlesdown, St John the Baptist, Purley, St John’s, Old Coulsdon, St Margaret of Scotland, Carshalton Beeches, St Mark’s, Woodcote, St Mary Magdalene with St Martin, Addiscombe, St Mary’s, Old Coulsdon, St Mary’s, Sanderstead, St Peter’s, South Croydon, St Swithun’s, Purley, Woodmansterne Baptist.
SCHOOLS/NURSERIES
Beaumont Primary, Purley, Bluebells Pre-school, Coulsdon, Chipstead Valley Primary School, Coulsdon, Coulsdon C of E Primary, Cumnor House Girls, Purley,
Cumnor House Nursery, Purley, Foresters Primary, Wallington, Gresham Primary, Sanderstead, Howard Primary, Croydon, Keston Primary, Coulsdon, Laleham Lea, Purley, Margaret Roper Catholic Primary, Purley, Oasis Academy Byron, Coulsdon, Purley Children’s Nursery, Purley Oaks Primary, South Croydon, Regina Coeli Catholic Primary, South Croydon, Riddlesdown Collegiate, Purley, Rutherford School, South Croydon, St Augustine’s, South Croydon, St David’s, Purley, St Giles, South Croydon, St Peter’s Primary, South Croydon, The Hayes Primary, Kenley, Woldingham.
STORES & SUPERMARKETS
Morrisons Caterham, Morrisons Fiveways, Croydon, Sainsbury’s Warlingham, Sainsbury’s Local Purley, Waitrose Sanderstead.
We also received many other unrecorded donations from supporters who wished to stay anonymous.
We can never say enough how very grateful we are for EVERY donation, however small or big. THANK YOU ONE AND ALL.