Christmas donation of £1,000 from M&S helps Chesterfield café feed vulnerable people and those in crisis

Holy Trinity Tea and Toast Cafe is among beneficiaries of the Gifts That Give campaign run by M&S in conjunction with the charity Neighbourly.

The café also functions as a small food bank providing emergency parcels to those in need and signposts them to agencies where they can find further support. Its volunteers cook hot meals and distribute them to people who are housebound and families who can't access the café.

Work experience for students and the unemployed is provided at the community hub which opens on Tuesdays at Holy Trinity Church on Newbold Road.

Reverend Jill Hancock, Priest in Charge of Holy Trinity Tea and Toast Café, said: “The winter isn't going to be easy, so it is crucial that there are warm and safe places available. The donation from M&S will allow us to help over 300 people by keeping the cafe open over the winter months and providing a warm, safe space for vulnerable people and those struggling to make ends meet. We’ll also be able to help more people with meal parcels. This funding will help tremendously as we strive to keep our doors open in the difficult times ahead. I’d like to thank all our tireless volunteers who dedicate so much time to helping their local community.”

The Gifts that Give campaign joyfully brings to life how a gift given from M&S this Christmas will keep on giving.

Chesterfield store manager, Matt Corker, said: “Although a time of celebration, Christmas can also bring significant financial pressure to families and charities. Holy Trinity Tea and Toast Café is based in Chesterfield and run by local people, so our Chesterfield store team is proud to have helped them support and empower so many local people with this donation.”

M&S has been working with Neighbourly, a unique giving platform that has helped M&S carry out food surplus donations and volunteering work in local communities. M&S Food has donated more than 50million meals to local charities over the past seven years through the partnership.