Red Kite has received some lovely feedback from Graham at One Can Trust, which shows the benefits of working together with local partners:

“In November, Red Kite organised the virtual Back on Track event, where local charities filled a 10-minute slot offering help to those in need. I used the time to encourage those who are struggling to not delay in asking for help, and related the story of a couple in their 60s, both of whom had worked all their life, had done nothing wrong, but experienced a number of setbacks that had taken them into poverty. They had used up their savings to pay the bills, so had no debts, but there was nothing left to buy food, which is when One Can Trust stepped in.

“About two weeks later I received a call from one of the support team at Red Kite. The story had obviously struck a chord and they wanted to assist their tenant. The next week when delivering the food parcel to the tenant, I obtained permission to forward her contact details on to Red Kite. Around that time, she wasn’t feeling too well and was quite down.

“Today was a completely different story. She was smiling and upbeat, a different person full of energy. Red Kite had been in touch and had offered to lay carpet on the whole of the ground floor and up the stairs (funded by Helping Hand). Currently there are just bare floorboards. In addition, they will also supply a mobility aid to assist walking when her arthritis is bad. When talking to Red Kite about her small business run from home, she said that her laptop will not work unless plugged in and was on its last legs, so, from the Starting Blocks fund, a new laptop is going to be provided.

“Then while we were talking about volunteers at Duke Street, she let it be known that her father, who lives in Wycombe, is now working as a volunteer for One Can Trust ‘to put something back into the food bank’.

“Well done to Red Kite for assisting a family who are most deserving. Many thanks to the father for volunteering at the food bank.”

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