Grand gift for Wellingborough's Daylight Centre just in time for Christmas

Wellingborough's Daylight Centre has received a £1,000 donation from Greatwell Homes just in time for Christmas

Local housing association, Greatwell Homes, has donated £1,000 to the Daylight Centre Fellowship in Wellingborough, who provide a foodbank as well as other support to local residents.

As a result of the pandemic, the Daylight Centre has been in more demand than any other year.

They have delivered nearly 2,600 food parcels and have provided more than 7,500 hot meals and a snack pack to those living in temporary accommodation who have limited cooking utilities.

They have also delivered more than 6,000 meals (including frozen meals, puddings and fruit) to families who have struggled for food over the past couple of months

A donation such as this will help support the vital work of the Daylight Centre.

Usually, Greatwell Homes provides £10 to all staff to use for Christmas lunches and dinners which are not happening this year.

Instead, staff asked to donate the money to the charity to help support those in need at Christmas in this particularly difficult year.

Carina Fisher, chief executive of the Daylight Centre Fellowship, said: “The support from the local community has been incredible - it’s very moving indeed.

"We are so grateful for donations such as the one received from Greatwell Homes as it makes our work possible and enables us to continue offering these vital services in our local community.

“Our volunteers have been working tirelessly in extremely difficult circumstances.

"They have been there throughout the pandemic to offer a lifeline to people who have needed it the most.

"People have had a really tough year so it’s great that we can bring some festive cheer.

"We’re really busy which is great."

Musician, broadcaster and vicar of Finedon the Revd Richard Coles, who is also the patron of Greatwell Homes, announced the news of the donation via a video on Twitter where he commended the charity's work.

He said: “Housing needs doesn’t go away as we know only too well at Greatwell Homes.

“The Daylight Centre runs a foodbank and provide invaluable services and support for people in need in this most difficult of years.

"So, thank you Daylight Centre for everything you do”.

On top of this, the housing association is also donating a further £500 to the Trussell Trust, a charity working to stop hunger and poverty in the UK.

Greatwell Homes (formerly Wellingborough Homes) is one of the largest housing associations in Northamptonshire, owning and managing more than 5,000 homes in Wellingborough, Kettering, Raunds and Northampton.

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