Rotarians in Coventry and Warwickshire are helping to lead the way in tackling world hunger with the return of their food packing initiative in partnership with Feed The Hungry.
It will be all hands on deck when members of The Rotary Club of Warwick, Southam, Leamington, Kenilworth and Henley-in-Arden and Coventry Jubilee, Coventry Phoenix and Coventry Breakfast Rotary Clubs join volunteers from Feed The Hungry charity and others, to pack nearly 30,000 meals to be sent to children in Africa.
It marks a welcome return for the initiative after two years and organisers are inviting as many people as possible to lend their support, at King Henry VIII School in Coventry, on September 10th, filling roles including packers, admin staff and car park marshals.
Jasminder Dhaliwal, of Heart of England Rotary, said: “We at Rotary District 1060 decided to help tackle the problem with local organisations. We believe in service, so a meal packing event where Rotarians and the local community could physically take part was ideal.
“Several clubs fundraised to get the money for the meals and then help pack them to send to Africa for their school feeding programme. In a lot of cases this is the only meal the child gets a day. It also encourages the children to attend school and get an education. It’s a day when hundreds of Rotarians, their families and friends actively get involved in a day of packing meals to be sent around the World.
“Rotary is working hard to reduce Hunger in the UK and overseas. 821 million people in the world don’t get the food they need.”
The food packs, which each feed six people, contain rice, lentils, soya and multivitamin sachets, were funded by a £9,500 Rotary donation and will be distributed by Feed The Hungry.
Feed The Hungry is an international charity which works to reduce world hunger by establishing feeding programs following disaster relief operations in 21 different countries worldwide. With its partner organisations, since 1987, they have globally assist in feeding over 420,000 children every day in 25 countries. FTH also provides disaster relief recovery programs through its network of community programs around the globe.
Gwyn Williams, International Operations Director for Feed The Hungry, said: “Feed the hungry has been involved in food packing events for 10 years here in the UK working with various organisations and has developed the Hand to Hand food packing program to enable schools, churches and charitable organisations get involved in this amazing event of packing High nutrition food for schools in Africa to encourage children to receive an education.
“Packing meals together as a community or school is an awesome experience not to be missed; but its more than that, and we would like to thank Heart of England Rotary and the students at King Henry VIII School in becoming World changers for thousands of children.”
Donations will also be invited on the day for volunteers of Trussell Trust foodbanks, who will be on hand to offer advice and information about their work.
Gwyn added: “Feed The Hungry also recognises the level of food poverty here in the UK. In 2020 we took over the management of Coventry Foodbank and have worked extensively in providing food provision through its network of Foodbanks, food pantries and community engagement programs throughout Coventry and Warwickshire with its amazing team of staff and volunteers.”
The Coventry and Warwickshire Rotary clubs were also joined by clubs in Birmingham and Redditch.
Anyone who would like to be involved can contact Jonathan Wilding on either 01384 423834 or jonathanwilding1958@gmail.com
