West Yorkshire construction firm makes “enormous donation” to local foodbank

Huddersfield headquartered construction company Big Red made a donation to the St. Cross food bank at the Beacon Centre in Clayton, Manchester, heading out in the morning for a ‘Big Shop’ before taking it over to volunteers at the centre.

After a difficult year for many, foodbanks provide a vital service, during the festive period in particular. The St. Cross foodbank opened in May 2017, starting as a small venture with 10-15 families using its services per week but is now much larger, and feeds over 30 households in need every week.

In August of this year, the foodbank temporarily paused its services in anticipation of its move to The Beacon Centre.

The Beacon Centre in Clayton will serve as a new community hub which will service neighbourhoods in Clayton, Beswick, Openshaw and surrounding areas. Big Red has been working on the refurbishment of the previously disused centre for around a month, and the project is set for completion at the end of January.

This hub will provide many much-needed social and practical support services to local residents of all ages, including a Food Bank and Community Grocer.

Father Chris Moore, founder of the St. Cross Food Bank at The Beacon Centre, was on hand to receive the delivery. He said: “Not only are Big Red doing a fantastic job refitting and refurbishing our valued community centre; it is clear from their dedication that they are committed to projects that give back to the community.

“I wanted to say a massive thank you for the enormous donation from Big Red, and I wish everyone in the community a very blessed Christmas”.

Big Red specialises in residential, retail and commercial; food pharma and health; and building management services. The Beacon Centre is just one of the community-based projects that the organisation has taken on in 2021.

Mike Lomas, managing director of Big Red added: “We’re proud to have been involved in creating a space that will provide much-needed help to a lot of local communities. In a short space of time, we’ve managed to make a lot of progress in breathing life back into a building that had been disused for so long, but has potential to make such a difference in the area.

“These kinds of projects are a huge part of our ethos at Big Red. We really wanted to give back to the community as well, especially at a time of the year which is difficult for many.”