The Food Bank extends helping hand with support from Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz UK has strengthened its link with Milton Keynes based charity The Food Bank, by supplying a refurbished Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van that will allow the charity to deliver essential food items to local people in need of assistance, outside of the central Milton Keynes area.
The Food Bank is a simple system of collection, collation and distribution of essential food items to support local people living on the edge of poverty. All it takes is a sudden, unexpected event – a bereavement, illness, redundancy or theft – to throw people into a genuine crisis. The charity helps by covering the days or sometimes weeks before other parts of the social care infrastructure can come into play.
The used Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 311 CDI has been prepared and painted in striking silver, along with being liveried with the Food Bank’s logo by Mercedes-Benz UK’s Used Commercial Vehicle Centre at Wentworth Park near Barnsley, Yorkshire. Mercedes-Benz UK has also funded the cost of a service maintenance package, ensuring further peace of mind for The Food Bank. Vehicle finance support has been provided byMortgage Rescue Network.
Steve Bridge, Director Sales & Marketing – Van said: “Mercedes-Benz UK and its staff are delighted to offer support to such an important local charity as The Food Bank, with not only the supply of a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that will allow the distribution of essential food parcels to be widened, but through holding regular food collections at Mercedes-Benz company sites.”
Following a successful Christmas food collection by Mercedes-Benz staff, an Easter themed collection will be taking place at the company’s headquarters in Tongwell and at sister company Mercedes-Benz Financial Services in Caldecotte, Milton Keynes.
The collections have been initiated by Mercedes-Benz UK’s Charity Champion team, a group of volunteers from across the company who have a passion for charitable work and who communicate between staff and the company about the many charitable activities going on around the business.
The Food Bank will also be collecting essential food items at the MK Dons match against Leyton Orient on Saturday 6 March. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter will be used as a collection point and all supporters are being encouraged to bring food items along to the match to support The Food Bank’s important cause.
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was officially handed over to The Food Bank Project Manager Sue Wall at the Food Bank’s headquarters in Oldbrook, Milton Keynes on Monday 1 March by Steve Bridge, Director Sales & Marketing – Van.
Sue Wall said: “There has always been a requirement to help local people who live on the outskirts of Milton Keynes or in the surrounding villages. In the past we have struggled to get to these areas, however with the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van we will easily be able to transport food parcels to a greater number of local people. And, the Sprinter’s striking livery will help spread the news of the important work we are doing to support local people in times of need.”
