Big year of supporting charities for Weston Favell Shopping Centre despite coronavirus pandemic

Weston Favell Shopping centre has been busy giving back to organisations on its doorstep with more than £5,000 handed out in recent months.

Its community fund is largely made up of monies raised from its Honesty Library which is then distributed back into the area.

Schools and charities have benefited from donations as well as The Faraway Children's Charity Christmas gift appeal, The Lewis Foundation and Cynthia Spencer Hospice.

More recently, £1,645 was spent on five iPads for Billing Brook School to use in its library.

Weston Favell staff paid a special visit to the school and met head teacher Karen Lewis and English teacher Laura Browett to deliver the devices and learn more about how the donation would help the students.

Karen said: “The children and staff at Billing Brook School are very thankful to Weston Favell Shopping centre for their generous donation of five iPads to our school.

"The iPads are going to be part of our newly developed school library space where the children will be able to sit and listen to audiobooks, read eBooks and browse online, looking at news and online magazines.

"For our children, the library is a wonderful space, but not always as accessible to one child as it is to another and the donation of the iPads will allow everyone, no matter of ability, to enjoy a good story.”

Some of the other donations include £520 to Baby Basics for its eighth birthday fundraiser, made up of £8 on behalf of every tenant within the shopping centre.

Ten tablets were donated to Standens Barn Primary School during lockdown for students with limited remote learning access.

Peak Empower received £200 worth of sensory items, baby essentials and craft activities to include in its wellness packs for people in need.

Domestic violence refuge Eve was given £500 worth of pots, pans, crockery and cooking utensils for its recently renovated shared kitchen area.

Northampton Hope Centre needed warm clothing and underwear for people accessing their hand up and food club services so over £500 was spent supplying these items.

Over the Easter period, Weston Favell donated chocolate eggs to the Northamptonshire RSPCA branch for its online raffle and to the Light Blue Easter egg appeal, which were distributed to hospitals in the county.

Finally the centre provided more than £500 worth of items including kitchen equipment, pyjamas, towels, food, and toiletries to Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Service.

The shopping centre also has a community zone in the mall, which charities can use to help them raise money and increase awareness.

Unfortunately, Covid meant it was unable to host charities in the centre for most of the year but as and when it was safe to do so, some groups have made use of it.

In the last 12 months, £10,101 has been raised in the community zone for charities including the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, The Rotary Club, Dogs for Good and Cynthia Spencer Hospice.

Weston Favell marketing manager Zoe Butlersaid: “Without the generous donations from shoppers using The Honesty Library, the shopping centre wouldn’t have such a large pot of money to give back to the community, so we want to say a big thank you to those who have donated over the past year.

"It’s so nice to still see kindness throughout such a challenging year.”