Local media company and partner with UNITED to battle holiday hunger in Hammersmith & Fulham

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Hours before the half term was set to begin, UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham received a call from Immediate Media of Brook Green. The team wanted to use their unused site café to prepare extra meals for those who had fallen through the gaps. The pair set to work and have reached a total of 330 packed lunches for local kids.

Shafali (right) of William Church Estate, picking up packed lunches from Immediate Media’s offices

More families than ever have been facing uncertainty including due to financial struggles due to the pandemic, and the media has been abuzz with news of businesses and people inspired by Marcus Rashford MBE’s awareness campaign that hunger does not go away over the holidays.

Whilst Hammersmith & Fulham Council provided vouchers for all children who are entitled to free school meals, and Westfield restaurants including Pho and Bleeker Burger offered free hot lunches, UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham acted as facilitator so that Immediate Media could reach children in poverty who might have fallen through the gaps.

UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham acted as facilitator between the business and local groups working with children in poverty so that the lunches could reach where they were needed every day of the week.

Ali Foster-Grose Director of Events, said:

“We are so happy to have been able to provide 330 packed lunchboxes and children’s magazine bundles to local communities in need. It’s been great to work with UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham and see the community come together.”

Local groups benefiting from the free packed lunches were:

  • Dads House helps single dads with the practicalities of raising their children alone
  • Sands End Associated Projects in Action (SEAPIA) provides low-cost play and childcare provisions for children aged 4-13 years old
  • People Arise Now  promotes social-economic independence for women, help rehabilitate ex-offender and families of offenders
  • William Church Estate supports local kids hit hard by the pandemic.

 

Shafali, Community Lead of William Church Estate said:

“The kids went absolutely crazy for your donations. Super generous of you to add another 2 chocolate bard to each lunch today and packed another 4 boxes of magazines too!!!! Words can’t express how much this had really helped the children!!”

Savraj Kaur, Executive Director of UNITED in Hammersmith & Fulham said:

“We’re so grateful to Immediate Media for reaching out so we could match them with those in need of free lunches. It has helped curb holiday hunger for so many local children, and shows that better neighbours really do make better neighbourhoods.”

If you’re a local business with an idea of how you want to help the community, please contact us at team@unitedhf.org for advice.