IN PICTURES: Appeal helps to feed the lonely and vulnerable over Christmas

Charities and community groups across Boston and the rest of the county have collected more than 12 tonnes of food from a Fishtoft warehouse to feed lonely, homeless and vulnerable people over Christmas.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st Dec 2017, 16:00 BST
Food for charities being collected from Martin's Produce, Boston. Rev Steve Holland with some of the food. EMN-171220-104800001Food for charities being collected from Martin's Produce, Boston. Rev Steve Holland with some of the food. EMN-171220-104800001
Food for charities being collected from Martin's Produce, Boston. Rev Steve Holland with some of the food. EMN-171220-104800001

The collection, at Martin’s Produce, Norwood Yard, was organised by the Rev Steve Holland, from Boston Baptist Church, on behalf of the Buckingham Emergency Food Appeal.

Boston organisations who collected the free food including the Baptist church, the Salvation Army, Centenery Methodist Church, Centrepoint Outreach and Boston Women’s Aid.

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The food, which contains all the ingredients necessary for a festive Christmas dinner, will be used for meals for the elderly, lonely and vulnerable and food parcels for the homeless.

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Food for charities being collected from Martin's Produce, Boston. Major Gerald Nicoll of Boston Salvation Army. EMN-171220-104727001Food for charities being collected from Martin's Produce, Boston. Major Gerald Nicoll of Boston Salvation Army. EMN-171220-104727001
Food for charities being collected from Martin's Produce, Boston. Major Gerald Nicoll of Boston Salvation Army. EMN-171220-104727001

Rev Holland told The Standard the food, which is paid for by a national fundraising effort by BEFA which this year raised £43,000 for their appeal, is a ‘relief’ for charities.

“They want to provide something that can be expensive,” he explained.

“So to get the assistance we are able to offer just gives them a boost because they can use those vital funds for other services which they provide.”

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The BEFA appeal has been running in Boston for four years and in that time has distributed more than 70 tonnes of food.

Food for charities being collected from Martin's Produce, Boston. Rev Steve Holland with Liz Hopkins - CEO of Centrepoint Outreach and John Hopkins. EMN-171220-104811001Food for charities being collected from Martin's Produce, Boston. Rev Steve Holland with Liz Hopkins - CEO of Centrepoint Outreach and John Hopkins. EMN-171220-104811001
Food for charities being collected from Martin's Produce, Boston. Rev Steve Holland with Liz Hopkins - CEO of Centrepoint Outreach and John Hopkins. EMN-171220-104811001

Any charity or community organisation can take part in the BEFA appeal, the only caveat being that because the food is provided for free it must be given away for free.

Rev Holland thanked everyone who supported the initiative, including haulier company Martin’s Produce which collected the food for free and allowed the charity to use a warehouse for storage and distribution.

For more information call 01205 358699.