Big-hearted children taking part in a charity sleep-out will go home to a hearty breakfast thanks to a donation from Sheffield-based food and drink retailer Approved Food.
The company will provide hot chocolate and snacks for those taking part in the Little Big Sleep Out – and will match donations made by parents tin for tin, to boost supplies for Huddersfield’s Welcome Centre and Batley Food Bank.
The Little Big Sleep Out has been organised by the Huddersfield Town Foundation and will take place at the John Smith’s Stadium on Friday as part of Foodbank Fortnight, one of a series of roadshows and events centred around World Food Day on October 16.
Around 80 year 6 pupils, teachers and volunteers from three local schools, Hepworth, Crow Lane and Oak Primary, will spend the night at the stadium. Participants must bring a food parcel donation or homeless kit worth around £5. The Foundation currently runs a Premier League Primary Stars social action plan in the schools to raise awareness of homelessness.
Approved Food has donated hot chocolate, biscuits and other treats for those taking part in the sleep-out, then the following morning, children will receive a breakfast bag filled with goodies such as cereal bars and juice. In addition, Approved Food will match all items donated by parents to double the amount of food that goes to good causes. All children taking part will receive a certificate in their school assembly.
The company’s MD Andy Needham – a lifelong Huddersfield Town supporter – has donated thousands of pounds worth of food and drink to good causes since the company was set up 10 years ago, including food banks and Huddersfield Street Kitchen.
Andy said: “The number of families needing to use a food bank has risen to millions since 2010. We are more than happy to support excellent causes such as this that help to put food on the plates of those who need it most. We passionately believe that addressing issues such as food waste and misleading labelling can reduce food poverty while tackling climate change through cutting food waste.”
HTF’s Lisa Bottomley, who organised the sleep-out, added: “We are extremely grateful to Approved Food for supporting our cause with this generous donation. Not only will providing breakfast for the children taking part encourage them to participate in future events, the offer to match donations made by parents means that these excellent causes are able to reach out to even more families in crisis. Our sincere thanks go to Andy and his team.”
Approved Food is the UK’s biggest exclusively online retailer of surplus food and drink, specialising in products that would otherwise go to waste such as short-dated food and drink, cancelled orders and goods with outdated packaging or in less popular flavours.
Established a decade ago, highlights include TV appearances on Dragons’ Den, Loose Women and Food Fighters. In May, Approved Food was praised by the then Secretary of State for the Environment Michael Gove for its work to reduce food waste through awareness of the difference between use by and best before dates.
The Huddersfield Town Foundation is running Foodbank Fortnight as part of World Food Day, encouraging businesses to organise foodbank collections between October 28-30 so that goods can be donated over the following two weeks to its Fans for Foodbanks beneficiaries.
