Bristol's business community has raised thousands of pounds to help disadvantaged children at risk of hunger over the festive season.
Business Live's sister site is working with city-based social enterprise Community of Purpose to raise funds for an initiative called Break Free in the run-up to Christmas.
So far nearly £20,000 has been donated to the campaign. The money will be used to provide food and fun for hundreds of local young people this winter, including a special day of celebrations, with a Christmas lunch, care package and programme of activities.
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The Break Free programme was set up by Amy Kington and her brother, Josh Kington, in 2016, and runs throughout the year. The aim is to offer a safe place for children during the holidays including hot meals and activities and trips. A total of 77% of the children that attend the scheme are eligible for free school meals.
Commercial landscaping firm Elmtree Garden Contractors, which has supported the Break Free programme since 2018, has donated £6,000 towards the Christmas campaign.
Managing director Paul Lynch said: “Break Free provides an essential safety net in one of the most deprived areas of Bristol. Staff always go the extra mile to create special experiences for children and this is especially important over Christmas, when many parents have to work long hours to afford the basics.
“In a city where there are such extremes of poverty and wealth, you can’t measure the importance of the work that Community of Purpose do for local families. Amy and the team are brilliant at bringing people together to support this important cause.”
Wholesale food service business Arthur David has also invested £6,000 into the holiday programme and has donated fresh produce that is given to the young people.
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Jon Evans, director of people and culture at Arthur David, said: “Many of our staff come from the areas where Break Free makes the most difference, so we can see the impact it has first hand. We’ve asked kids what they would be up to during the holidays otherwise, and many say gaming alone at home, spending time on social media or getting up to mischief!
“It’s great to see this groundswell of support for the Christmas campaign, and we’re delighted to have donated £6,000 towards such a vital cause. As someone who was born and brought up in the city, it’s about improving the social fabric of Bristol and opening doors to a different kind of life.
A single payment of £25 will pay for a young person to travel in a Bakers Dolphin coach to an attraction or activity, receive porridge and fruit for breakfast and a two-course festive lunch, a care package and Christmas supplies.
Another business championing the work of Break Free is accountancy firm 55.financial, which has donated £2,000 towards the campaign.
Managing director Martin Vincent said: “Amy and the team are doing great things for young people, but they’re also making it easy for local businesses to lead with purpose and join them on their journey to create opportunities in Bristol. I was so pleased to join the board at Community of Purpose this year and would encourage businesses from across the city to get involved. Christmas is a time for giving and if we come together as a collective, we can tackle the deprivation on our doorsteps.”
Ms Kington said: “It’s just brilliant to see such widespread support for our campaign. Every child deserves to experience the warmth and magic of Christmas, no matter their background or circumstances.
“It’s amazing to have raised over £19,000 at this stage in the campaign but we still have some way to go to reach our £25,000 target. We’re calling on Bristol businesses to help us over the line. Your support can make this Christmas a really special one for local kids.”
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Business Live is asking for the help of big-hearted readers, as well as Bristol’s business community, to make sure as many children as possible experience the magic of the festive season.
To find out more about how you can support the Break Free programme and help raise £25,000 by Christmas, click .