Esher 25 April 2017: Keltbray Group is taking action against food poverty and has joined forces with local food banks across the country to help stop UK hunger.

These partnerships have been established following a review of the Group’s charity partnerships to develop and implement a more proactive programme of charitable engagement and volunteering across the Group.

Keltbray has a long tradition of supporting charities and local community not-for-profit initiatives as part of the Group’s corporate social responsibility. In a bid to boost employee engagement, and find a cause that is national, but where Keltbray’s offices and sites still have the autonomy to create local relationships, the company decided it was logical to extend the local partnership Keltbray had already established with the East Elmbridge Foodbank in Esher, nationwide.

Group Board Director, Paul Deacy, who heads up The Keltbray Charity Committee, said: “Supporting local food banks seemed like a common-sense continuation of our strategy to support underprivileged groups, such as former offenders and long term unemployed with training and work opportunities, given that many of the individuals we support also have other issues to contend with, such as poverty and homelessness.”

When people talk about food poverty, most of us think of starving children in poor countries far away, but evidence shows that food poverty, or food insecurity, is a growing issue here in the UK.

“The fact that one in five Britons live below the poverty line and struggle to eat regularly, and that more than 500,000 people now rely on food parcels shows that local food banks have become essential for the poorest families in our country. We hope all of our people will support this new initiative and give generously and regularly, so that we can help take action against food poverty locally and in our own small way help stop UK hunger,” Paul continued.

The Keltbray offices which have so far signed up to the scheme includes Ashford in Kent, Basildon in Essex, Bedfont in Middlesex, Crewe in Cheshire, Esher in Surrey, Glasgow, and Fenchurch Street, Leadenhall and Thames Wharf in London.

Each of these locations now has a local Food Bank Champion, who is responsible for managing and  promoting the local food bank relationship.

In Crewe, Keltbray Aspire made their first donation of food items to the Alsager Food Bank earlier this month: “I thank you for your generosity on behalf of the people you have helped. It was wonderful to receive such a good selection of items. Last year we provided 384 adults and 443 children with essential, daily food. We rely on public donations like this to help local individuals and families in crisis throughout our area, and look forward to working with Gill and Sally going forward,” said Food Bank Co-ordinator for Alsager and District Foodbank, Tracey Abbott.

ENDS

Enquiries:
For more information contact Marit Meyer-Bell, Head of Communications
Tel. 0786 765 3392

Email: [email protected]

Notes to editors:
Keltbray Group is a UK leading specialist business, which offers engineering, construction, demolition, decommissioning, remediation, rail, environmental services and reinforced concrete frame solutions. The company dates back to 1976, employs more than 1,000 people, and is a key player in developing and maintaining Britain’s built environment. Keltbray provides services to meet the needs of diverse and complex projects, and its well qualified people take pride in delivering projects safely and efficiently, on time and to budget, and with care for the environment and our communities. Keltbray has contributed to a range of high profile construction projects including The Shard, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stadium, St Pancras International, Crossrail, Earls Court and Battersea Power Station.