ORGANISATIONS across Staffordshire have thanked JCB as the company served up its last meal under the ‘Food for our Communities’ initiative, which has been running during the Covid-19 lockdown period.
An idea of Carole Bamford, wife of JCB chairman Lord Bamford, the scheme was launched in March to support those most in need. Since then, more than 35,000 meals and over 8,000 sandwiches have been delivered to the vulnerable in Stoke-on-Trent, Uttoxeter, Rocester and Biddulph. Dishes made at JCB’s HQ in Rocester included cottage pies, macaroni cheese and Bolognese.
The NSPCC is one organisation which has distributed the meals in Stoke-on-Trent, delivering almost 4,000 to families. Jennie Hammond, NSPCC Together for Childhood development and impact manager said, “We would like to thank JCB for such a generous donation at a time when some families might have struggled. The meals have been really appreciated by each family which has received them and the scheme has had a very positive impact on the community.”
More than 15,000 JCB meals were also distributed by the Burslem-based Hubb Foundation to children and families in need. Founder Carol Shanahan commented, “The impact of JCB’s ‘Food for our Communities’ project has been immense. It has supported families in Stoke-on-Trent when their need was at its greatest and help like this will never be forgotten.”
More than 8,000 sandwiches were made for distribution to the homeless and for inclusion in food parcels for vulnerable people. JCB also supplied St. Michael’s Church Support Group in Rocester with 100 meals a week for villagers in need.
In India, where JCB has factories in Delhi, Pune and Jaipur, more than 175,000 meals were served up during the project.
JCB has also donated PPE to front line workers, with the manufacturer and its employees volunteering to produce visors for the NHS. JCB-sponsored athletes, slalom canoeist Adam Burgess and triple jumper Ben Williams, took on a marathon weight lifting challenge and have so far raised more than £2,400 for the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
JCB’s kitchens in Staffordshire were supported with the provision of food from organic farms at Daylesford in Gloucestershire. Daylesford – founded by Carole Bamford – has supplied organic beef mince to the project, with staff working seven days a week to support the initiative.
