Bamford Doors receives thanks from Local Pantry charity for helping ‘vulnerable families’

Every month Bamford Doors, a Secured by Design (SBD) member company, provides a donation to a charity called Your Local Pantry, a network of community food stores, which effectively provides a ‘subsidised supermarket’ for residents to help them save money on their food bills.

Whilst a foodbank gives residents a bag of provisions without knowing its contents, the Your Local Pantry initiative, which was founded by Stockport Homes Group to fight food poverty, requires residents who meet basic ‘low income’ criteria to pay a weekly fee, typically around £3.50, for 10 items of their choosing.

With five Pantries in Stockport alone, these ventures rely on the generosity of local businesses and residents to maintain stocks and provide a continuous service. Whilst Local Pantries may have sufficient stocks of food, they can run short of items that are welfare based, such as toiletries. So, for its January donation, Bamford Doors donated a range of toiletries and importantly, toothbrushes.

Alexis Smith, Managing Director, Bamford Doors, and mother of a young daughter, said: “The Local Pantry was really struggling with toothbrushes for young children, and for me that’s absolutely heart-breaking.”

Elena Vacca, Community Food Officer, Stockport Homes Group, said: “It’s the generosity of local businesses like Bamford Doors that helps towards fulfilling the needs of food provisions across Stockport. Their kindness encourages us to keep going and makes a difficult job slightly easier.

“When you donate to a local charity, you help provide opportunities for vulnerable families to thrive during times of need. I would like to pass on my thanks to all the local businesses who have donated so far.”

Elena added further donations and support are always welcome. Your Local Pantry comes under the auspices of Foundations Stockport, a charitable community benefit society, which is part of the Stockport Homes Group.

Bamford Doors, which now has branches in Bristol – serving the South West and Wales, and Milton Keynes – serving the South East of England, have been involved in other recent charitable activities including:

- teaming up at the end of last year with partner company, Key Management Systems (KMS), to encourage staff to donate toys to children who may not otherwise receive a Christmas present. A total of 600 toys were distributed to Flintshire County Council, Beyond Housing (Yorkshire) and Milton Keynes Council.

- joining forces with KMS, and another key partner, Entrotec Limited, for a competition to giveaway two complete communal door entry solutions installed free to improve the security of two community buildings. The installations of the winning entries – a refuge for young, single parents in North Wales and safe accommodation for young people affected by homelessness in North East England – are scheduled for April.

In addition, Bamford Doors runs a charity scheme in which individual members of staff donate £10 each from their monthly salaries into a prize fund. The winner, selected at random, receives £30 for themselves and can then choose a charity of their choice to receive all the other money raised. The company and its staff together raise around £2,000 every month for good causes.

Bamford Doors, which is the longest established communal door manufacturers in the UK, became an SBD member company in January 2013 and was one of the first companies to receive SBD accreditation for a communal door.

Hazel Goss, Development Officer, SBD, said: “Supported by its staff, this is a company with a heart of gold. From toothbrushes to security doors, Bamford Doors is a great example of a company that seeks to support and safeguard the communities it serves. We are very proud to have them as long serving members of Secured by Design.”

Bamford Doors
Bamford Doors specialise in the design, manufacture and installation of Secured by Design communal solutions, meeting the needs of local authorities, housing associations, builders, private landlords, schools, student accommodation and other public and private sector buildings.
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Web: www.bamforddoors.com