Asda's Christmas boost to Boston charities helping people through cost-of-living crisis

Volunteers at Centenary Methodist Church who prepare the free two-course meals for the local community.

Funds totalling £3,999.40 were donated by the Asda Foundation to local warm spaces, a homeless charity, and local school in Boston ahead of Christmas.

The Asda Foundation, Asda’s independent charity, supports local communities through grant giving. The donations had the aim of helping to tackle social isolation, and bringing people together.

Boston’s Restore Church received £1,246 to buy tables, a soup cauldron and board games to equip and maintain their welcoming warm space – which is open to all local residents who are vulnerable or at risk of poverty, loneliness and rural exclusion. The money will allow the church to provide the option of a hot meal in addition to the snacks and refreshments that are usually on offer.

Restore Church volunteers and Warm Bank attendees with Asda Boston's Stephen Bromby.

There was also funding available to support the increased running costs groups will face, including rent increases and gas and electricity cost rises.

Stephen Bromby, community champion at Boston’s Asda store said: “The term ‘warm banks’ has emerged in recent months encouraging community locations this winter to remain open for longer to provide people with a warm, safe place to be rather than heating homes or living in a cold property to support individuals in our local area.

"The Asda Foundation was able to support with utility and food costs to help keep buildings open to the public for longer and to enable groups to support those impacted most through the provision of meals.”

Centenary Methodist Church in Red Lion Street received £1,220 to extend the hours over the two days of the week where they provide cooked meals, with no charge, to anybody in the local community in a welcoming, safe environment by an additional four hours each day. The grant funding will cover increased utility and food costs for the new “Warm Welcome” sessions.

Residents pictured enjoying free hot lunches at Centenary Methodist Church in the run-up to Christmas.

Stephen explains: “Each Asda superstore has a Community Champion, and their role is to support groups and projects within the community, as well as managing Asda Foundation grant applications. The Community Champion in the local superstores will support groups in completing their application and will make the submission to the Foundation on the group’s behalf.”

Boston’s homeless charity, Centrepoint Outreach was also awarded £1,000 to provide an all-day drop-in Christmas meal that will be open to all, but with a particular focus on homeless and vulnerable people in the local area.Cold weather clothing and toiletries will be purchased and provided to homeless and vulnerable people to protect their physical wellbeing and support their mental wellness.Stephen continued: “We know the rising cost of living is having a big impact on communities. We introduced the grants to help support community groups though this cost of living crisis, but we can also offer help through donations of stock.”

Old Leake Community Centre was also one of the local warm spaces that received a donation from the Lister Way supermarket of tea, coffee and biscuits to enable the team to create a warm hub to offer people a safe, warm space to go, have some refreshments, mix with others, play games, see a friendly face and help a little with the difficulties the community will be facing going forward.

And lastly, Boston Grammar School PTA received £533.40 to purchase toasters, napkins, cups, plus materials to help wellbeing and mindfulness. The funding will help the school to run a free breakfast club where all students who attend will be offered a healthy breakfast comprising toast, muffins, crumpets, cereal, yogurt and fresh fruit with hot and cold drinks. This will allow students who are not able to access breakfast at home to eat properly before school begins.

Stephen Bromby, front, right, with Centrepoint Outreach staff.

Stephen added: “To help support the local community during the current economic conditions, the Asda Café is also offering over 60s soup, roll and butter with unlimited tea or coffee for £1 all day every day throughout December.

“Plus, ‘Kids Eat For £1’ at the Lister Way store until the end of the year. The offer for children up to the age of 16 includes a drink and no other purchase necessary to take advantage of either of these deals.”

The Asda Foundation, is spending over £1.3m to support communities around the UK in the run up to Christmas by funding warm spaces, helping to ease increased utility costs, funding activities and providing food. Over half of this is directly supporting community groups with cost of living challenges to help them survive.