Kind-hearted gym staff start appeal to help Telford food bank
Kind-hearted staff at a Telford gym are continuing to do all they can to help the food bank and Crisis Support in the town.
As the food bank struggles for supplies and has had to dig into its parent charity Crisis Support's own fund at times this year to make sure it is fully stocked, staff at Anytime Fitness have launched their own annual appeal for items that can be delivered in the run up until Christmas.
They are also donating supplies to a certain amount of money for every member who signs up for a gym membership during October - currently the total stands at around 20 but they are hoping to get it up to 50 by the time November arrives.
Tables in reception at their Gresham Drive premises are already overflowing with tins, boxes of dried food and other items much in demand at the food bank, which opens its doors at Fruit of the Loom House, Halesfield 10 Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
As well as the membership drive, for the third year running they are holding their own 'food bank' where members, guests and visitors can drop off supplies which will be taken to the Crisis Support in mid to late November.
Fitness manager Chloe Palmer said they were starting the appeal earlier this year due to demand for food bank items with the cost of living crisis hitting people hard and more and more people seeking help.
She said: "The donations from the membership is a new initiative we came up with to try and give something back to the community which we always try to do and it has worked quite well so far as the tables are getting full.
"We will continue encouraging donations of food bank items well into November and then deliver it over to Crisis Support, who deserve all the help they can get as they continue to do great work.
It's far from the only thing staff at Anytime Fitness have done to help - last year gym staff completed a camp out challenge to raise money for Telford Crisis Support where they camped outside TGI Friday's in Southwater with just sleeping bags for comfort.
William Arnstein, the owner of the gym said: “Being a community-led business we are delighted to launch this initiative to support such an important charity.
“Pressure on budgets has increased significantly and food banks play a crucial role in providing support to people in crisis.”
