Ipswich Building Society appeal to help local families in need

Ipswich Building Society FIND Christmas tree (Image: Archant)

Members and staff of the Ipswich Building Society are supporting local families in need at Christmas.

The soceity is raising money and collecting gifts for people in the Ipswich area who are facing a difficult time this Christmas.

Food donations are also being collected in branches of the society which will go into Christmas hampers for families in crisis.

Ipswich Building Society is calling on its staff and members to participate in its festive appeals in aid of local charity FIND, Families in Need.

This local, Suffolk charity which provides emergency assistance for families or individuals affected by poverty or dispossession in a 25 – 30 mile radius of the Ipswich area, and the Chapman Centre which provides a Day Service offering advice and support to marginalised and vulnerable people in Ipswich over the age of 18.

Ipswich Building Society’s Ravenswood and Sailmakers branches have adorned their Christmas trees with requests for presents for those who would otherwise not receive one, including children, adults, disabled or homeless people.

The society’s Christmas Tree Gift Appeal for Suffolk FIND is for society members and staff to choose a gift tag which includes details of the recipient and purchase a gift of their choice.

All gifts should be dropped off at one of the participating Ipswich branches by December 4 in order for it to be wrapped and delivered in time for Christmas.

Food bank donation stations have been set up at the Ravenswood and Sailmakers branches until Friday December 18. The donations will be used to provide food hampers for families and individuals in need across Ipswich and the surrounding areas.

Also 14 of the Society’s staff will also be volunteering at FIND to help the team package up the donations and prepare them for delivery.

The Sailmakers and Ravenswood branches are holding a Christmas Hamper raffle to raise money for both FIND and the Chapman Centre.

Tickets can be bought at either branch before the draw takes place on Friday December 18.

Paul Winter, CEO of Ipswich Building Society said: “FIND and the Chapman Centre are tireless in their work to help vulnerable people in our local community. Christmas is a time to think about those less fortunate than ourselves and I’m sure our staff and members will get behind our Christmas campaign and help give something back to those in our community who need it most.”

Maureen Reynel, Founder of FIND, said, “A number of Ipswich Building Society’s staff volunteer with us throughout the year through the Society’s Make a Change volunteering programme. This aims to encourage employees to take four hours out of work each month to support a charity or community organisation of their choice. The run up to Christmas is a very busy period for us so we welcome the additional support the Society is giving to us at this time.”