Over the last three years, Bangor Foodbank and Community Support has distributed 335,207 meals to people in need in Bangor and its surrounding areas. The charity’s van insurance has been funded by Hughes Insurance since 2021, greatly reducing its operational costs. The broker has announced that it will maintain the partnership for another 2 year(s) ensuring households in need can continue to benefit.
Bangor Foodbank and Community Support is part of a nationwide network of foodbanks. It is supported by The Trussell Trust which works to combat poverty and hunger across the UK. The charity’s services have come under intense pressure as the cost-of-living squeezes household budgets. Over the last 12 months, more than 90,000 emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship across Northern Ireland by food banks in the Trussell Trust network. Alarmingly, the anti-poverty charity said 60,831 (74 per cent) of these parcels were for families with children.
Bangor Foodbank and Community Support has been providing food parcels for over a decade, as manager, Ken Scott, explains. He said, “These are really challenging times for people so it’s important to our organisation that we can be of practical and support. Our van is an invaluable asset as the number of meals we’ve distributed and the miles we’ve clocked up in our area demonstrates. The funding that Hughes Insurance provides is crucial as it reduces our overheads meaning more can go direct to those in need. We don’t think anyone in our community should have to face going hungry, but continued support is needed so we welcome people who feel they can give the gift of their time to us, or indeed food or financial donations. Every contribution makes a real difference.”
Bangor Foodbank
The funding provided by Hughes Insurance falls under its Action for Impact initiative which was developed in 2023 and sees the business support various local organisations as it delivers on its Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) goals. The initiative also engages employees and support workplace wellbeing with employees offered volunteering opportunities across the province.
Emma Haughian, Senior Marketing Manager at Hughes Insurance said, “We firmly believe that every action counts when it comes to supporting community and improving our environment. Our ESG commitments are led by three goals – act responsibly, put people first, and make things better. As the most vulnerable in our society navigate ongoing financial pressures, we felt it was important to continue our funding support for Bangor Foodbank. It is a vital service that has become a lifeline for people in these trying times.”
Along with its support of Bangor Foodbank and Community Support, Hughes Insurance has also provided £20,000 to Mary Peters Trust since 2021, as part of a bursary programme for young athletes.
