Food poverty help fromUpper Beeding business

Dave Khor, owner of Ovenu based in Upper Beeding, has teamed up with The Trussell Trust for the initiative, which will see him collect food items for delivery to a local foodbank while carrying out oven valeting appointments. The Trussell Trust, which was formed in 1997 and oversees more than 400 foodbanks nationally, works with communities and churches to help combat poverty and exclusion in the UK and Bulgaria. Each of the trust’s foodbanks provide a minimum of three days’ emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis in the UK after being referred by care professionals, who then issue a redeemable voucher for use at the foodbank. Dave said: “I am delighted to be doing my bit to help those who have suffered setbacks and been in difficult situations. Many families are struggling with the fragile economy together with the rising cost of living, so it is good to give back in this way. “The Trussell Trust is such a great cause that benefits so many people, so I am more than happy to collect donations while on my appointments to support the charity. This will go a long way in helping to tackle food poverty in the area, and I am glad to help the service out in any way possible.” The latest statistics from The Trussell Trust show that 614,000 adults and children received help from its food banks in the first nine months of 2013-14, compared to 350,000 throughout 2012-13. Anyone needing help from a foodbank is assessed and given a voucher for food. Matt Cameron from The Trussell Trust, said: “We have seen a sharp rise in the number of people using our emergency food service, which cannot be ignored. Many people from across the UK are made to go hungry, due to a number of different circumstances that have impacted their lives, so it is important to tackle this mounting issue. “We would like to thank Ovenu for its support with this drive, which will help to deal with this crisis throughout the UK and meet the increased demand for food at our foodbanks.” Ovenu is a franchise network made up of more than 100 small businessmen and women working throughout the UK. The Ovenu valeting process involves dismantling key components of an oven such as the door, interior panels, fan and shelves and placing them into design-registered tank equipment, which uses safe, non-caustic products to clean the oven parts. The whole process takes around three to four hours and leaves the oven, hob and exterior in immaculate condition. For more information about Ovenu, to make a booking with Dave, or to donate to his initiative for The Trussell Trust, call: 0800 140 9800, email ovenugatwick@tiscali.co.uk, or you can visit http://www.ovenugatwick.net/ For more information about The Trussell Trust, visit http://www.trusselltrust.org/ Report and picture contributed by Ovenu.