Vicky Pattison helped spread festive cheer © BANG Showbiz
Vicky Pattison has helped spread festive cheer by volunteering at FoodCycle.
The 36-year-old reality star donned a santa hat and called on people to follow her lead as she kicked off Just Eat’s Winter Meal Appeal, which aims to support those facing hunger, loneliness and the threat of homelessness.
The initiative sees the food delivery app donate 5p from every order placed between 4-11 December up to the value of £250,000 in order to provide 1.5 million hot meals to those in need, via their charity partners FoodCycle and Social Bite, while employees will also be volunteering across hundreds of good causes.
Sophie Tebbetts, CEO of FoodCycle added: “We wouldn’t be able to run our community meals without our incredible volunteers. During the winter months we have over 7,500 volunteer sessions that need to be filled, in order to run our 81 Projects across the UK.
“The Winter Meal Appeal has been pivotal in helping run our projects as well as enabling us to open in new locations. It’s great to see that this year’s campaign is highlighting the significant impact that volunteering has on community projects, like FoodCycle. By spending a few hours with a local charitable cause, volunteers can help bring communities together as well as make a huge difference to those in need this winter.”
Vicky launched the initiative as a new study showed 85% of Brits are planning to give back to those in need over the festive period by volunteering, with 8 in 10 16-24 year olds planning to do so over Christmas.
To date, Just Eat’s Winter Meal Appeal has provided one million hot and nutritious meals for those in need, and a large number of the meals are made from surplus food which would otherwise have gone to waste
Claire Pointon, Managing Director for Just Eat UK and Ireland, said: “Our long standing Winter Meal Appeal, now in its fourth year, has already helped provide millions of vulnerable people with hot food, accommodation, employment and companionship.
“At a time where many are coming together to celebrate the festive season with friends and family, there is still an urgent need to help those at risk of homelessness and hunger. Together with our charity partners, FoodCycle and Social Bite, and collectively with our employees, we are committed to giving back to those in need this winter.”
The Winter Meal Appeal also helps fund projects aimed at tackline homelessness through provision of sheltered accommodation and training programmes to help those who have experienced homelessness gain employment skills. And that’s not all, because funds have also helped community kitchens across the UK expand.
—BANG Showbiz via Reuters Connected
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