A STREET kitchen in York has been "overwhelmed" with more than 250 Easter Eggs donated from local businesses.
Hoping Street Kitchen in the city issued a plea for Easter Eggs to give out as part of their holiday celebrations on Easter Sunday. In recent months, growing numbers of families have turned to Hoping for hot meals to feed their children - and helpers said they were worried these children would miss out on traditional fun treats.
As soon as the plea went out, local businesses such as Latimer by Clarion Housing Group, David Lloyd Health Club and Morrisons Supermarket at Foss Islands all stepped up to help.
Helen Meadows, HOPING coordinator, said: "We send thanks to these companies – and the many kind individuals who also donated – for their generosity.
"We can now pass on their gifts to our homeless friends and all the hungry families we serve.”
On Easter Sunday the Hoping team will serve a special themed two-course menu, including Easter Egg Cake, Crunchy Easter Egg Nests and Easter Simnel Cake.
There will be fun and games with a life-sized Easter bunny and the team’s singer-songwriter, Peter Lister, will serenade the diners, whose numbers topped 70 throughout late March.
One of Hoping's volunteers, Jayne Venables, said: "Hope is the big treat for our families in need. We all love chocolate but the eggs we share, thanks to these businesses and York people, are more than colour and fun, they’re a symbol of hope at Easter.
"That’s what we pass on from the public to disadvantaged children, struggling parents and vulnerable adults on the street - hope.”
The street kitchen serves hot meals every Sunday, from 2.30pm until 4pm in King’s Manor Garden in Exhibition Square. Warm hats, scarves and gloves, with thermal blankets and pocket thermal sleeping bags are also available, along with toiletries and dog food.
In the lead up to Christmas last year, Morrisons at Foss Islands Road had their annual Christmas fundraiser Giving Tree for charity - and their chosen charity was Hoping.
Customers were encouraged to donate £1,£2 or £5.
The store's Community Champion, Wendy Davis, said: “I am thrilled and extremely grateful to our customers."
In total, £1,340 was raised for Hoping through the scheme.
Helen Meadows added: “We were overwhelmed by the generosity of Morrisons customers and the kindness of Wendy and the team for selecting us as their chosen charity.
Morrisons, Foss Islands also support Hoping weekly with foodbank donations.
Hoping were awarded Best Community Project 2022 at The Press Community Pride Awards.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here