Member Article

Grundfos workers support Sunderland food bank

A SUNDERLAND company is helping families in crisis this Christmas by donating food and toiletries to a Wearside food bank.

Dozens of workers at city pump manufacturers Grundfos answered the call when a member of the company’s HR team launched an appeal for donations to Sunderland Food Bank.

Howard Stafstrom, who joined Castletown-based Grundfos as an EHS Specialist earlier this year, explained: “I attended a Workplace Health Alliance summit over the summer and talked to someone from the food bank. The conversation we had inspired me to want to help with the brilliant work they do in the city.

“I’ve previously donated to other food banks in the region and it’s a sad fact of life that so many people need the support they give, but they do need our help.

“We approached the Sunderland Food Bank and were given a list of food and toiletries they particularly needed. We put this list out to Grundfos employees and the response was amazing. We collected more than a supermarket trolley’s worth of donations within a few days. Every department throughout the company gave generously.”

A neighbouring company, Cellular Solutions, also donated food to add to the Grundfos collection.

Catherine Attwell, HR Director at Grundfos, said: “We’re grateful to Cellular Solutions for their help. Like us, they are a Sunderland company who want to put something back into the community. This is particularly important at Christmas and we hope our donations will help to make things a little easier for families having to rely on the Sunderland food banks.

“There was an energetic response to Howard’s appeal and it was great to see so many people wanting to help. I hope we’ve made a difference.”

Grundfos, a Danish company, is the world’s leading pump manufacturer and employs more than 18,000 people globally. It opened a Wearside plant in 1973 and now employs nearly 150 people at its Castletown site.

• There are ten Sunderland food banks supported by The Trussell Trust, to find out more log on to www.sunderland.foodbank.org.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Grundfos .