BRIDPORT Rugby Club has looked to support those in need in the community this Christmas by financially supporting their local food bank, Cupboard Love.
Despite having a serious loss in income since the Covid-19 outbreak, the community club gave Cupboard Love a donation of £205 to help those in need during this holiday period.
Bridport’s independent food bank runs from St Mary’s Church and supports homeless people plus families and single people in the Bridport area who find themselves in need of emergency food supplies.
Club treasurer and first-team coach, Ayo Fraser said: “As a community rugby club with children and adults alike, we understand some families may be struggling this Xmas time and wanted to show solidarity by donating to Bridport Cupboard Love as a way of saying ‘we are all in this together’.
Cupboard Love said: “Thank you so much for thinking of us and supporting your community. Please pass on our thanks to all at the rugby club from us here at Cupboard Love and our clients.”
Across the country, families are going hungry is an ever-increasing issue. A recent study by the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN), found that independent food banks across the UK were handing out 13,043 food parcels a week – or 1,863 a day.
In the South West, government statistics show, jobseekers have doubled since the start of the pandemic, with 183,000 people looking for jobs. Redundancies and unemployment are the main cause for an 88 per cent rise in food parcel distribution this year.
With December finally bringing and end to 2020, Fraser spoke of the resilience of the club. He said:
“This year has been difficult for all of us in various ways and for sports club across the country.
We have, however, been heartened by the great enthusiasm across the club to keep rugby going in whichever form we are allowed by evolving regulations. We hope 2021 will be year of renewal for the country, but especially for the Bridport community.”
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