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Bishop’s Stortford, Stansted and Sawbridgeworth Greater Anglia staff and passengers boost food banks




Generous Greater Anglia train passengers and staff have donated almost 1,900 meals to help people in crisis this winter.

Collections for food banks at stations in West Essex and Hertfordshire were organised by Michael King, a relief ticket office clerk at Sawbridgeworth and Stansted Mountfitchet.

At the end of last year, groceries were dropped off at Bishop’s Stortford, Stansted Mountfitchet, Sawbridgeworth, Harlow Mill and Harlow Town stations.

Greater Anglia staff with food bank donations
Greater Anglia staff with food bank donations

Donations included 831 kilograms – that’s almost a tonne – of food, toiletries, nappies and sanitary products. An additional £205 in cash was raised.

Laura Todd, an Essex County Council special educational needs and disability careers advisor, and the Carlisle cleaning team, which works at Greater Anglia stations, made substantial donations.

The total was boosted by Greater Anglia worker Lloyd Griffin, who played the electronic piano at Harlow Town station and collected £305.

Greater Anglia’s food bank donations
Greater Anglia’s food bank donations

Mr King, who organises regular events for good causes, said: “I would like to thank everyone who has kindly donated to the food bank appeal. It was a real team effort.

“It makes your heart swell, especially as last year was so difficult for many people – I’m always astounded by how much is generously donated.”

The Greater Anglia initiative was launched in 2022, when customers and staff donated around 1,000 meals and 500kg of food, toiletries, hot water bottles and blankets to food banks.

Harlow Food Bank is supported by the Trussell Trust. Between April and September last year, food banks in Trussell’s UK-wide community distributed more than 1.4 million emergency food parcels to people facing hardship – an increase of 69% on the same period five years ago. More than half a million of these parcels were distributed to children.

Sophie Carre, the charity’s director of public engagement, said: “Food bank teams are working tirelessly to help people unable to afford the essentials, and thanks to the generosity of supporters like Greater Anglia, they can continue to provide vital emergency support in their communities while we work together to end the need for food banks in the UK. Thank you.”



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