Greater Anglia staff at several stations on the West Anglia route have launched their annual appeal to support families facing food insecurity this winter. Donation points opened on Monday 20 October at Bishop’s Stortford, Harlow Town, Harlow Mill, Sawbridgeworth and Stansted Mountfitchet stations, and will remain open until Sunday 14 December.

All contributions will be sent to food banks in Harlow, Sawbridgeworth and Bishop’s Stortford, as well as to community wellbeing project TouchPoint in Stansted Mountfitchet. The food banks have highlighted a particular need for tinned goods such as fish, meat and vegetables, along with sponge puddings, crisps, juice, squash, chocolate, cereal, soup, pasta, rice and biscuits. Tea, coffee and long-life milk are also welcomed.

In addition to the public appeal, a staff raffle will raise further funds and donations. Local Essex County Council employees and the Carlisle cleaning team, which works across multiple Greater Anglia stations, will also be contributing to the effort. Last year, the appeal collected the equivalent of more than 2,000 meals and 800kg of food and essential supplies.

Event organiser and Relief Ticket Office Clerk Michael King said: “The local food banks across our area are incredible and make such a difference to those who need them in the towns we serve. Every tin or packet donated helps someone locally who might otherwise go without. I was staggered to see how much we donated last year, and I cannot wait to see how we do in 2025.”

Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, added: “It’s fantastic to see our colleagues once again going the extra mile to support their local communities. Food banks play such a vital role and are pivotal in supporting those most in need, so we’re proud to back TouchPoint and the Bishop’s Stortford, Harlow and Sawbridgeworth food banks.”

First launched in 2022, the initiative has become a regular feature of Greater Anglia’s community outreach work, helping provide thousands of meals and essential supplies to those in need across Essex and Hertfordshire each winter.

Image: Greater Anglia