Hundreds of Easter eggs donated to help Sunderland families

Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Vice-Chair of Governors at Hudson Road Primary, Councillor Michael Mordey, with (back from left) Sunderland City Council Business Support Operational Manager, Paula Walker, Sunderland foodbank network co-ordinator, Kate Townsend, and (front) Year 2 pupils from Hudson Road Primary School helping to arrange the donated Easter Eggs for distribution to families across the city

Volunteers from the Business Support team appealed to council colleagues to donate Easter eggs and help create a 'mountain' of chocolate treats.

Hundreds have been collected, with the largest ones also put for raffle to help raise money to buy even more.

The donated eggs were arranged for collection at the Civic Centre by pupils from Hudson Road Primary, to be delivered for distribution to families across the city through the Sunderland foodbank network, from the head offices based in Hendon.

Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Vice Chair of Governors at Hudson Road Primary, Coun Michael Mordey, said: “I’d like to thank all the staff who donated an Easter Egg to this appeal, and all those who helped organise it.

"It’s great to think that their generosity could help make such a difference to a family’s Easter, with a chocolate celebratory gift for their children at a very special time of year which brings people of all ages together.

"I’m delighted that pupils from Hudson Road Primary have volunteered to play their part in organising everything for collection, and would also like to thank all those from the Sunderland foodbank network who will help make sure all those families most in need will receive one."

Sunderland foodbank co-ordinator, Kate Townsend, said: "The donations are another amazing example of people’s generosity in Sunderland. We work with a network of foodbanks across the Sunderland area, helping some of the most vulnerable members of our community, and they could not function without the kind hearts of the public."

The Sunderland foodbank network has been running since November 2017, organised by Durham Christian Partnership to bring together food banks from across the city. It is part of the nationwide Trussell Trust foodbank network.

Kate Townsend added: "We work really closely with the Sunderland Connect Network, who establish relationships with churches across the area, as well as with supermarkets, referral agencies and other food projects.

"In order to access a foodbank, clients need to be referred in by a professional agency. In this way, we can ensure that the client is getting all of the help that they need."