Hi everyone. We are contacting you as people who very kindly donated to our Giving for Gedling campaign at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Today, we are supporting Marcus Rashford and launching a campaign to help eligible school children receive free school meals to get help during the half term who have also been affected by COVID. Over 2,500 children in Gedling are eligible and this half term and at Christmas half term, we want to make sure they don't go hungry. So we are asking you to donate to our new scheme and raise £10,000. The money will be used to buy food for the local foodbanks that will be given specifically to families who are eligible for school meals. The council has already committed £4,350 and we need your help. Please donate by going to https://www.spacehive.com/feeding-gedling-children-fund Thank you. Gedling Borough Council

You did it! Thank you. I am overwhelmed by the support for our campaign, which has exceeded our target. You have helped raise £25,000 to help local food banks in less than two weeks. As the Mayor of Gedling Borough Council, I see the fantastic things that our residents and businesses do all the time to help good causes but this has been something very special. To raise such a large amount in such a short space of time is wonderful and I am very grateful to you all for the kindness and compassion you have shown. Every donation, no matter what size, will make a real difference. All donations will either be given directly to the local food banks or used by the council to purchase food and essential items for distribution to the food banks or directly to residents in need. The Coronavirus outbreak has caused suffering for so many people but there are some who have been left in a desperate situation where they cannot get food for their families and this money will help them directly. The council has also done its bit to make sure the food banks are supported. I would like to thank all 41 councillors who each donated £250 from their Councillor’s Community Fund to help kick-start this campaign with £10,250. The council is also providing a further £20,000 to buy food at the newly opened Humanitarian Centre at Richard Herrod Centre, Carlton. The centre has already begun sending out food parcels to people across the borough who have needed help. On behalf of everyone at Gedling Borough Council and from all our local churches and food banks, thank you for making a donation and for helping our most vulnerable residents. You have helped so many people and it will make a real difference to their lives. Stay safe and look after each other. Mayor of Gedling, Councillor Sandra Barnes.