Homebuilder’s donation helps Eastwood charity’s vulnerable community

The donation towards Eastwood Volunteer Bureau and Foodbank will help a range of beneficiaries including elderly, physically or mentally disabled people, and people who are struggling with the cost-of-living.

Having gifted £3,000 towards the charity’s services, the funds will benefit the befriending and transport schemes, as well as the foodbank operated by volunteers.

Rachel Laurenson, Manager at Eastwood Volunteer Bureau and Foodbank, said: “We currently help nearly 500 people with all the services we provide so our volunteers are invaluable to us, and we wouldn’t be able to run if it wasn’t for them. We do always need more volunteers as we can never have enough, so the more we have, the more people we can reach.

“We run a befriending scheme which aims to alleviate loneliness and isolation mainly, but also helps people get back out into the community to. Our foodbank is also a huge benefit for our local community, especially when they are struggling to pay their bills with the increase in utility expenses and rising costs of food.

“As part of the transport scheme, which is aimed at people who have trouble using public transport, we take people to the hospital, as well as their doctor, dentist, and optician appointments. We also take a lot of our clients to groups, luncheon clubs and shopping.”

Eastwood Volunteer Bureau is a small charitable organisation that was set up over 45 years ago, and the demand for its services continues to increase.

The donation from Barratt and David Wilson Homes was made as part of The Barratt Foundation, which is designed to support national and local charities across the UK to leave a legacy in the communities where the developer builds new homes.

Rachel added: “Unfortunately we don’t have any regular financial donations, we rely heavily on grant funding, and we also rent our rooms out for meetings and to organisations to generate more income and ensure we are able to continue to provide our valuable services.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to Barratt and David Wilson Homes for choosing Eastwood Volunteer Bureau and Foodbank for a donation, and it will make a huge difference to us at this time of year.

“We are very much community-minded and the services we provide, I feel, show that.”

Mark Cotes, Managing Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes North Midlands, said: “We increased our charitable donations over the Christmas period with it being a challenging time for a number of charities, and we’re pleased to contribute £3,000 to Eastwood Volunteer Bureau and Foodbank.

“Its wide range of services are essential for the local community, and we hope it can continue its fantastic support for those in need.”

For more information about any nearby developments, visit Barratt Homes in Nottinghamshire or David Wilson Homes in Nottinghamshire.