Fontwell Park Racecourse and the Reuben Foundation can today announce a new scheme to support the local community with the purchase and distribution of over a thousand emergency supply boxes, each containing a range of store cupboard and bathroom essentials.
The boxes are being provided free of charge to West Sussex County Council, who
Fontwell Park Racecourse have been working closely with to identify the needs of people in the region who currently face real hardship throughout the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
Boxes will contain a range of store cupboard and bathroom essentials including tea, coffee, UHT milk, pasta, noodles, sauce, canned fruit, soap, shower gel and toilet rolls alongside meal cards, all designed to help support the local community at this difficult time.
As part of Arena Racing Company (“ARC”), Britain’s largest group of horse and greyhound racing venues, Fontwell Park Racecourse has been able to work with nationwide suppliers to put together these emergency boxes, with the generous financial support of the Reuben Foundation.
West Sussex County Council will undertake distribution of these boxes as part of their Community Hub initiative, which was set up to provide a point of contact and to support the most vulnerable residents across the county, including those within the shielded category.
It works closely alongside the district and borough councils’ community offer and links into the voluntary and community sector, local businesses and neighbourhood activity.
Assistant Operations Director at ARC, Kieran Gallagher, said, “We are well aware of the impact that the current health crisis and lockdown has had on many people in the local area.
“Whilst racing at Fontwell Park and the other ARC venues in the region has been suspended, we have been pleased to work with West Sussex County Council and our suppliers, with the significant financial support of the Reuben Foundation, to put together these emergency supply boxes which we hope will benefit a large number of people across our community.
“We very much hope that the boxes will go some way to helping those who are finding things difficult at the moment and to whom we would like to wish all the very best.”
A spokesman for the Reuben Foundation said, “The Reuben Foundation are pleased to support the local community at this time of crisis. This continues our involvement in a number of charitable projects where we have been providing support to families and individuals who are impacted by the pandemic and also in purchasing protective equipment and food for front-line NHS staff and others”.
Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue and Communities, said: “It is wonderful to see individuals and businesses coming together in these difficult times and re-defining what it means to be part of a community.
“We can’t thank Fontwell Park Racecourse and the Reuben Foundation enough for their commitment to helping out the vulnerable and shielded residents across the county with the provision of these emergency supply boxes. These boxes will make a real difference to West Sussex households currently having to shield during the Coronavirus outbreak.”