Staff and volunteers at a food bank were left 'extremely touched' by a pensioner's 'lovely' gesture to help struggling families this winter. The woman sent a handwritten note complete with a substantial cash donation.
In the letter, she said she recently received her winter fuel allowance payment from the government. She said she now wanted to donate a "chunk of it" to her local food bank - saying families on low wages needed the help more.
The letter was handed to volunteers at the Crossroads Meltham Foodbank in the centre of Meltham, West Yorkshire, Yorkshire Live reports. Manager Chris Sinclair, who shared details of the letter, said he was touched to live and work in such a warm-hearted community.
The letter said: "Dear Meltham Food Bank. I recently got my notice of winter fuel allowance, which is great, BUT as a retired single person, with work and state pensions, I feel that I don't need it as much as some families on low wages.
"I would like to donate a chunk of it to the Food Bank, and thought that if you spread this message it might encourage one or two others to do the same."
The note was shared on Facebook with the woman's permission. Mr Sinclair said other people had since stepped forward to help the food bank in a similar way. Some have made their own cash donations from winter fuel payments that they did not need.
He said: "It is a lovely letter and I was quite touched by it. It is a brilliant sentiment and has prompted a huge response from followers on our (Facebook) page. She was quite happy with the publicity for the good cause."
Chris says demand is growing at the foodbank as families and single people struggling to cope during the cost of living crisis. Volunteers deliver around 80 food parcels a month, with each one tailored to the recipient. They include fresh and frozen food which are added to the parcel shortly before delivery.
