Major UK businesses including Aldi, Marks & Spencer, Motability Operations, Liberty Global, Capita, the Institute for Social Value and Certas Energy are collaborating this winter to unlock vital support for community groups and charities amid rising demand.
Giving platform Neighbourly’s campaign, GoGive, is bringing businesses together to support its network of local good causes across the UK and Ireland through donating surplus, volunteering and providing financial donations. A winter fund has also been created for targeted financial support for the greatest areas of need.
The goal is to deliver £1m in financial support, facilitate 5,000 hours of volunteering, and redistribute 18 million meals worth of surplus food, that will positively impact over 5,000 local causes between December 2024 and February 2025. Over £460,000 has been paid out to charities in the first month and a half of the campaign, with all support already totalling over £18M in financial value including over 10.5m meals worth of surplus food donated.
This comes at a time when Neighbourly community research has found that 78% of its small charity network have experienced increased demand over the last three months. It found that charities’ most requested products were non-perishable food items and fresh produce, while 50% say there are people they can’t help due to limitations in capacity and funding. The research also found widespread concerns about volunteer availability, with 66% of small charities worried about the availability of volunteers over the winter.
Vicky Millman, co-director of Mama’s Bristol, a community support group based in Bristol, said: “With the cost of living continuing to bring challenges to families, we are still seeing many faced with the choice between heating and eating.
“We are proud partners of Neighbourly, thanks to generous food donations we have been able to provide local families with over 500,000 meals. Funding opportunities are imperative as they enable us to purchase long-life food items, meaning we can continue longer-term support with our family larder. Sadly, we anticipate a continuation in the need for support for our organisation.”
Viki Lee from Paganhill Community Group, Gloucestershire, said: “With rising costs and benefit cuts, the community are very worried about the future and we are anticipating being busier than ever. The support we’ve received from Neighbourly partners, including food donations and funding has been so helpful to us in supporting our community”
Peter Newall from Thurrock Food Bank based in Essex, said: “Sadly there is a continuous demand for our services, over 56% of the people we have served this financial year have come to us for the first time. With the continuous demand on our teams, we are totally reliant on donations and are so grateful for the help of Neighbourly in coordinating donations. This ensures that we can direct surplus food into the channels that best support the local community.”
Tula Lee from Nesbit Nippers pre-school based in Eltham, London, said: “Campaigns like this are vital for local organisations. We’ve received important funding and over 17,000 meals worth of surplus through Neighbourly and its partners since we joined – but we still need more food donations for children who are coming to preschool hungry.”
Marie Savin, centre manager from Netherton Park Community Association based in Bootle near Liverpool, said:
“The cut backs in services and increasing costs of living is bringing more challenges as people are struggling to keep warm and eat properly. As an organisation we are finding it hard to cover core costs, funding is becoming harder to get and monitoring/outcomes for reports has increased.
“The donations collected each day from our Neighbourly partners really are essential. The stigma of taking donated food is now a thing of the past – it’s become a way of life and how people manage limited budgets”
Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, said: “The festive season is an excellent time for businesses to start increasing their support for communities; as Neighbourly’s research shows, the need is greater than ever – with 69% reporting that they fear demand for services will be worse this winter than last year.
“The campaign empowers businesses to amplify their impact, driving meaningful change for charities and community groups at a time of unprecedented demand.”
Luke Emery, national sustainability director at Aldi UK, said: “At Aldi, our aim is for fresh, healthy food to be accessible to everyone, so joining the Neighbourly GoGive campaign is a great opportunity to further this goal. By working together, we can enhance the accessibility of nutritious foods for those that rely on foodbanks, using the power of local connections to make a real difference.”
Dan Forth, HR director from Certas Energy, said: “At Certas Energy, we recognise the vital importance of supporting our local communities, especially during the challenging winter months. We’re proud to be contributing to Neighbourly’s GoGive fund, helping to ensure that essential support reaches those who need it most in our communities. This donation reflects our commitment to making a meaningful difference at a local level, working alongside other purpose-driven businesses to create positive change where it matters most.”
Matthew Hamilton-James, chief finance officer, motability operations, said: “Our commitment to being a purpose-led organisation drives everything we do. Our work starts with our customers and our employees, and extends into the communities we operate in. Through Neighbourly’s GoGive campaign, we can use our business as a force for good and create a positive change. “
