Classic Cottages donate to anti-poverty charity Trussell

The Trussell Trust supports a community of food banks across the country and works to ensure no one in the UK needs a food bank to survive. We donated to this worthy cause on behalf of our owners for Christmas 2025 – instead of sending Christmas cards.

In 2000, Paddy and Carol Henderson started the first Trussell food bank following a phone call from a mother in Salisbury who was struggling to afford food for her family. The Salisbury Food Bank first opened in the garage and garden of Paddy and Carol’s home to provide three days’ emergency food for local people who didn’t have enough money to live on.

Since then, Trussell has grown into a community with 1,400 food bank locations across the UK and 36,000 volunteers providing food and practical support. A harsh reality is that since 2019/20 there has been a 46% rise in parcels provided to families with children and a 32% rise in parcels to support children under the age of 5. In 2024, Trussell distributed 2.9 million emergency food parcels, providing a lifeline for people facing hardship. That’s one parcel every 11 seconds! 

Whilst food banks provide a lifeline, they are not a long-term solution; hunger is not a food problem, it is a lack of income problem. Trussell works to bring a compelling case for change, to ensure everyone has enough money for essentials and emergency food distribution of food can end. 

During winter 2025 we asked our property owners which charity they would like us to support with a Christmas donation. The majority suggested Trussell and we were delighted to donate £1,200 to help this worthy cause. 

The need for emergency help has never been greater, and if you can help, please follow the link and donate here.