Manchester brewery Joseph Holt donates nearly £22,000 to food bank in Wigan borough

Manchester-based brewery Joseph Holt collected £129,719.16 from customers as part of its annual charity appeal.

This has now been distributed to six charities devoted to helping people struggling to pay their food bills – including Atherton and Leigh food bank.

Thanks to fund-raising events organised by staff, as well as donations collected across its 127 pubs, the brewery donated almost £22,000 of the money to the food bank, which provides emergency food and support to people in Wigan borough who are referred to them in a crisis.

Other benefactors of the appeal were Lucie’s Pantry in Salford, Greater Manchester-based Mustard Tree, Stockport Food Bank, Compassion Acts in Southport and Bury-based Porch Boxes.

Each charity has reported a massive growth in the number of people relying on food banks amid the rising cost of living.

David Hughes, trustee of Atherton and Leigh food bank, said: “We are a self-funding charity and are entirely dependent on the generosity of the public. One thing that’s crucial to us is a warehouse to store food correctly. So this donation is an answer to our prayers. The money will help with the running of our warehouse, which costs around £10 000 a year. We are just so grateful to Joseph Holt.”

Richard Kershaw, chief executive of Joseph Holt, said: “As we all know, 2020 and 2021 were especially tough years for many people.

"And so for the first time in our history, we decided to fund-raise for six charities located in our heartlands across the North West.

"We had fantastic support from all our customers, employees and licensees who helped us fulfil our strong desire across the company to put something back into the local community.”

Last year local charities and organisations warned that food bank usage in the North West could “spiral out of control”.

Food bank charity The Trussell Trust said in 2021 it gave out more food parcels within the North West than anywhere else in the UK.