A North Tyneside Council contractor and local authority volunteers were part of the team packaging food parcels at The Bread and Butter Thing’s affordable food hub in Longbenton last week.
Council volunteers at the hub were joined by two representatives from Enerveo. The team offered their services to the hub; getting involved in unloading and sorting goods, packing bags of food, and helping to distribute packages to customers.
The Bread and Butter Thing is an affordable food hub, delivering access to weekly groceries at a reduced price. Members can pay just £7.50 for a food package worth an average of £35. These packages can include everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to cupboard staples or chilled foods. The weekly hub in Longbenton is one of four in North Tyneside, with a further two set to open soon. There is no eligibility criteria for those who wish to sign up, and the process to register is so easy via text.
Enerveo provides street lighting to North Tyneside, repairing and installing new lights and replacing old columns as necessary. As part of the Council’s major Carbon Net-Zero 2030 action plan, Enerveo have undertaken the responsibility for installing new LEDs across the borough. The recent initiative at The Bread and Butter Thing is part of Enerveo’s motion to support the community through volunteering.
Christine Jones and Stacey Watts from North Tyneside Council were joined by Angela Cowens and Daniel Hutchinson from Enerveo as they dedicated more than two and a half hours of their time helping out at the hub in an effort to showcase their commitment to supporting residents in the borough. The work that The Bread and Butter Thing does, as well as the efforts of these volunteers, is intended to have a lasting positive impact on the community, as hundreds of families continue to benefit from the service.
Cllr Karen Clark, cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “The Bread and Butter Thing is a fantastic and often vital resource for our residents in North Tyneside. It has added value to the range of existing food initiatives across the borough.
“It’s wonderful to see council contractors like Enerveo getting involved with and having a direct impact in the local community. Being supported by organisations in this way, through the efforts of volunteers, is crucial to the success of initiatives like The Bread and Butter Thing.
“The time and effort dedicated by these volunteers is greatly appreciated; their devotion is representative of the wider commitment made by resident volunteers and the council to serving our communities.”
Enerveo volunteer, Daniel Hutchison, commented: “It’s always great to be able to give something back into the community, and to support projects like The Bread and Butter Thing that help families across the Borough when times are tough. We’re delighted to be working alongside North Tyneside Council to achieve their Carbon Net-Zero action plan and that our partnership allows us to support projects that reflect our values and commitment to a sustainable future.”
Residents can sign up to The Bread and Butter Thing by texting 07860 063 304 with their full name, postcode and the name of the hub they will be collecting from.
Further information about The Bread and Butter Thing, including a map of the existing hubs, can be found on their website.
More information about Enerveo and their work can be found here.
