Kind-hearted colleagues raise money for Bedford Foodbank

As part of a day of celebration to mark the 10^th anniversary of local Clinical Commissioning Groups in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, NHS staff used the occasion to support others less fortunate through holding a charity raffle that raised £440 in just a couple of hours.

The proceeds have been split evenly between four foodbanks and will help make difference to food and supply stocks at Bedford Foodbank as well as Luton Foodbank. Dunstable Foodbank and MK Foodbank.

Felicity Cox, as the newly appointed Integrated Care Board Chief Executive said,

“The celebration event at Wrest Park was a great opportunity to bring together colleagues and celebrate the consistent hard work of the NHS over the last 10 years.  Through the raffle, we also had an opportunity to give back to our local community and help those who are living vulnerably in Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes. Working with our community and partners is something to which the new Integrated Care Board is committed, and we look forward to doing so over the coming months and years”.

Andrea Assistant Project Manager at Bedford Foodbank said,

“We are extremely grateful for BLMK CCG (now ICB) choosing Bedford foodbank to receive the money raised in the charity raffle. With the support and generosity of the people of Bedford and the surrounding area we have been providing a service in Bedford continually since 2011. In 2021, Bedford Foodbank fed 11,575 people of whom 4027 were children. We were able to distribute 137,129.75 kilograms of food and toiletries. This provided 326,500 meals. Already this year we have fed 9614 people.

Without the help of the people of Bedford we would not be able to provide this support.

For more information www.bedford.foodbank.org.uk”

NHS staff were marking the last day of Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commission Group, which on Friday, 1 July 2022 was replaced by NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board.

In addition to the charity raffle, the celebrations at Wrest Park on 30 June 2022 included a bake off, ice cream treats, and games of rounders.