Derby-based PR and communications specialist Nielsen McAllister has announced a series of plans to support Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance (DF4TA) as the city-based charity launches its Christmas campaign for those facing food insecurity.
The St Peters Quarter business, based on Green Lane, has become the latest sponsor of the charity’s 100 Club, pledging £100 for each of the next 12 months which will help feed 20 children for three days a month – equating to 240 children a year.
The team selected DF4TA as Nielsen McAllister’s charity partner for the year and has already seen two members use their employee ‘Charity Days’ to provide hands-on assistance.
Digital marketing apprentice, Rory Hay and account executive Tom Starkey, provided help straight away, spending a day working with DF4TA following its hugely successful school uniform appeal from earlier this year.
More than 3,000 items of clothing were donated during a five-day pop-up Uniform Shop at the Derbion Community Hub and both Rory and Tom helped move the items for distribution.
Tom Starkey said: “Rory and I had a great day helping DF4TA. It was rewarding to know that each box would be going to help children in need, and we’re proud to support such a worthy cause.”
With its sponsorship cementing recent support provided to the charity, the agency is also joining DF4TA’s reverse advent calendar campaign this December. Here members of the team will donate one item of food a day to provide goods that will be distributed to people in need across the city.
Paul Brookhouse, manager of the Derby charity, said: “We are enormously grateful to Nielsen McAllister for its ongoing sponsorship. Donations of money and time are essential to our future and make a massive difference to the help we can provide to those in need.”
This month, DF4TA celebrates the first anniversary of its 100 Club and has revealed that 25 businesses signed up for the fundraising campaign in 2024. Despite this success, the charity is seeking more businesses to sign up to its campaign and support it buy urgently needed food items, particularly in the run up to Christmas.
Paul said: “We often find it hard to feed all the families who come to us asking for help. More people than ever before are struggling with food insecurity, and quite often we have to make an urgent appeal for donations.
“We would be delighted if more businesses could help us in any way they can. Their support will help us make a real difference to so many at this time of year.”
According to recent data revealed at The Derby Child Poverty Summit this year, 38.3% of all children in Derby city are living in poverty – and this number is rising. Broken down further, nearly half of all children (47.6%) of those living in the Derby South constituency are doing so in poverty.
Simon Wildash, Managing Director at Nielsen McAllister, said: “Sadly, there are too many families and children in the city who are facing food insecurity and so we are proud to be able to support the Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance as they seek to help those in need.
“Rory and Tom really enjoyed volunteering at DF4TA this month and we hope that through providing practical support alongside joining the 100 Club we will be able to help Paul and the team in the run up to Christmas and beyond.”
