In 2013 local churches in Southport & Formby joined together to manage the Trussell Trust Foodbank and over the past 6 years have seen that grow to also incorporate the Community Money Advice, Christians Against Poverty service, the Food Pantry, and more latterly a welfare advice operation. Over 450 clients were helped last year in the debt and welfare projects and over 6000 visits to the Foodbank and FoodPantry services. This is the sobering reality as levels of hidden and overt poverty are rising in our communities.
We have plans to develop our identity and profile in the town to plug the significant funding gaps that still exist for the provision of each of the projects. The additional costs of the new part time CEO role are to be met substantially by a grant from the Trussell Trust.
Taking up the leadership position in the coming weeks is local father of four Richard Owens who joins them from a fundraising role at anti-slavery charity Medaille Trust. “It’s a real privilege to be asked to manage this organisation at such an important time for them. I look forward to supporting the existing team and hopefully securing new partnerships and funding opportunities so that even more work with clients can be undertaken, managed in a sustainable way. I’m excited to get started!”
Richard has lived in Southport for over 20 years, moving here after the University of Liverpool. His work experience includes corporate PR roles in local government and telecoms and then more recently management and fundraising roles in charities and Christian organisations.
Chair of the trustees and senior pastor at Lakeside Church, Southport Rev. Richard Vernon said:
“The work of the volunteers and staff in each of our projects is so amazing and they deserve good professional backing and support. The new CEO will be high profile in the town and get out and about to deepen relationships with donors from business, churches and the general public so that we can grow.”