A new unit at Logistics North, in Bolton, will serve as the distribution headquarters for Urban Outreach’s huge Christmas hamper appeal.
Urban Outreach chief executive Dave Bagley and his army of volunteers have pooled together donations to make up 1,300 hampers for families in need.
And this year the items will be sorted and packed at the newly constructed ‘Multiply’ unit at Logistics North, the huge business park just off Junction 4 of the M61, in Over Hulton.
The charity has already packed some goods at Central Baptist Church but it needed a base for finishing their mammoth packing feat and preparing the hampers for distribution.
Following an appeal from Bolton Council, Harworth Group and Lancashire Pension Fund – owners of the recently completed ‘Multiply’ industrial units at the site – offered one free of charge for the Christmas period.
Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Cliff Morris, said: “This is the best of Bolton coming together to help people in need and it shows true Christmas spirit.
“We were contacted by Dave to see if we could help the charity with a base and it is fantastic that Harworth and the Lancashire Pension Fund responded so quickly and offered a solution.”
The operation to complete the packing of the hampers will start tomorrow. Goodies in the hampers will include: Christmas puddings; chocolate; biscuits; crackers; brandy sauce; chicken and all the trimmings.
People in need are nominated to receive the hampers, which cost around £45 each, by organisations such as churches and community groups. Organisations who have nominated people will then deliver the hampers directly on Friday, December 22.
Mr Bagley said: “This is how Bolton rolls and the use of the unit makes it much easier to plan our deliveries. 2017 is proving to be the biggest year ever – 2050 children along with over 2060 adults will have an incredible Christmas thanks to everyone’s combined efforts.”
Iain Thomson, Associate Director at Harworth Group plc, added: “It is a genuine pleasure to be supporting Urban Outreach’s work. Their operation is a staggering one and showcases the best of community spirit, and we are pleased to be making a small contribution to their 2017 effort.”
Organisations who have helped the campaign include: Bolton Council; Bolton at Home; Seddons; Keoghs; Asda; Bolton Wanderers Trust; schools, and churches.
Packing will take place tomorrow 10am to noon and 2pm to 4pm. Anyone who wishes to help can contact Urban Outreach on 01204 385848 or e-mail info@urbanoutreach.co.uk.
Logistics North is the largest industrial development in the North West, with more than 1,500 people currently employed on-site and once complete is expected to deliver around 5,000 jobs.
‘Multiply’ is a joint venture between Harworth Group plc and the Lancashire County Pension Fund, delivering new commercial units aimed at small and medium-sized businesses in the North West.
Three new units totalling 163,000 sq. ft have been built in the first phase by Buckingham and occupiers are expected to move into them in early 2018. A further seven commercial units, totalling a further 400,000 sq. ft, will be constructed over the next 18 months to complete the Multiply development.