Member Article

Ouseburn businesses back food bank

The single biggest collection Newcastle West End Foodbank has ever had in its three-year existence. That is what the companies of Hoults Yard achieved when they all came together and donated a whopping 2227 items of food, making a big difference to the lives of people less fortunate this Christmas.

The initial idea came from Claire Schollar, Project Administrator from BPP Tech based in The Kiln. Backed by marketing communications agency Onyx Health, who created a tin-o-metre and social media campaign and free printing of posters by Level-10 Print Management, everyone in Hoults Yard was encouraged to get involved.

Claire Schollar, explained: “The idea was simple, as individuals and companies we all want to do something good at Christmas, but if we come together we can make an even bigger impact.”

For the past two weeks the tin-o-metre has been slowly rising with companies such as Silverbean and Broadway Travel, challenging Maling Studio to beat their impressive 600+ item donation, and on Friday it broke the 2000 item target.

Owner of Hoults Yard, Charlie Hoult added: “What our tenants have achieved this year is so inspiring and over-whelming. I was blown away when I heard the total number of items collected.

“It has been a great activity for all the Yard to get involved with, and I know Claire and the team at Onyx Health want to say a massive thank you to each and every individual or company who donated.”

Newcastle West End Foodbank opened in March 2013 and has grown to be the largest foodbank in the UK, feeding more than 40,000 people in last year.

It offers emergency food assistance to people in the west end of Newcastle; which is one of the most economically and socially deprived areas in the North East. The foodbank is run by local people for local people and relies on the community’s support to ensure it can continue to stop people going hungry.

Originally one of the most famous pottery factories in the world, Hoults Yard in Ouseburn is now home to over one hundred businesses, ranging from the creative, digital, industrial, and corporate.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Julie Kemp .