£500 for Burnley Foodbank from Miller Homes

Burnley charity, Padiham Parish Foodbank, has been announced as one of the 10 worthy applicants to receive a grant of £500 from the Miller Homes Community Fund.

The initiative was set up by the builder in September 2022, for local community and charity groups to have the opportunity to apply for donations between a minimum of £250 and a maximum of £2,000.

The foodbank was founded in 2021, with the purpose of addressing the immediate need of hunger in the area through providing emergency food and support whilst maintaining the dignity of those in crisis.

The foodbank operates weekly from St Leonard's Church, and serves the community of Padiham and Hapton. Their services are used regularly by the community, with numbers increasing each week.

The worthwhile organisation received £500 from the homebuilder, which will be used to purchase food and hygiene products to cover the next few months.

This meaningful sum of money will certify that the organisation gets through their expected busy winter period, and to ensure they have as much provision as possible beyond then.

Bev Holmes at the foodbank commented: “We're so happy to have found the Miller Homes Community Fund, and on behalf of Padiham, I'd like to say a heartfelt thank you to the Miller Homes team for picking our organisation. The funds will have a significant impact on our work and what we can give to our local community.”

Clare Noakes, Miller Homes’ sales director for the North West, added: “The Community Fund has been a massive success so far. It’s great to see it doing exactly what we intended it to… Supporting local foodbanks is always a priority for us, especially in this current climate. Padiham food bank is a very worthy organisation and we are so glad to have been able to help them out.”

The homebuilder saw a flurry of applications within the first few weeks of the fund launching in September 2022, attracting community groups across the region to apply for support. The initiative extended across its 10 regions in England and Scotland – generating over 400 applications. Groups applied for donations ranging from £250 up to a maximum of £2,000.

Across the UK, 96 community groups have been supported and after much consideration, 10 worthy causes in the North West were chosen by Miller Homes staff who volunteered to take on the role of Community Fund Ambassadors.

Miller Homes’ development in the Burnley area, The Calders, consists of 3-to-4-bedroom homes, all of which are sustainably built and feature spaces for home working and flexible living. It was found in 2022 that new homes such as these can save up to £2.6k on energy bills as opposed to older builds, according to the NHBC.

The development Sales Centre and Show Homes on site at Red Lees Road, Cliviger, BB10 4RD and is now open to visit. Those interested may also register their interest online.