Every donation helps: Retailer gives boost to Lewis Foundation to give more gifts to Northampton patients

A Northampton cancer care charity has become one of the first in the country to benefit from a £500 Tesco grant, part of the retailer’s £30million package of support for local communities hit by the lockdown.

Earlier this month, Tesco’s CEO Dave Lewis outlined the retailer’s plans to provide more than £52m to local communities following the Covid 19 outbreak, continuing to give extra food and funding for FareShare, the Trussell Trust, donations of food for Salute the NHS, support for the British Red Cross and National Emergencies Trust, and a Bags of Help COVID-19 Community Fund, to support as many groups as possible with grants of £500.

Making full use of the grant, the Lewis Foundation, has put the extra funding towards providing 138 care packages for local people undergoing cancer treatment.

The packages, which include essential items such as hand sanitiser, hand cream, hand wash and other toiletries, are given out to patients going for day treatment and patients staying in hospital.

Lorraine Lewis, co-founder of the charity said: “We rely entirely on fundraising and donations but unfortunately, with everything going, this has completely dried up.

“The demand is just as high as ever and so the grant has been a lifeline for us as we continue to help people undergoing cancer treatment.”

Amrit Matharu, whose father is being helped by the charity, said: “We are so grateful to The Lewis Foundation for providing these packs, as I am not allowed to attend chemo with my dad due to health and safety. A huge thank you for looking after the patients.”

Any local groups that would benefit from this funding are encouraged to apply here. The process is managed through our partner charity Groundwork’s website. www.tescobagsofhelp.org.uk

Keith Jackson, Local Communications Manager for the Midlands, said: “We’re doing everything we can to provide food for all at this difficult time and hopefully the £500 Bags of Help grant will help those groups still committed to helping others during this uncertain time.”