Keystore is spreading festive cheer to local food banks by encouraging retailers to place dumpbins in-store for customers to donate food and other items.
The campaign, non in its third year, will see KeyStore outlets across the country providing collection points for customers to donate non-perishable food products until Christmas.
Alongside food products such as packaged cereals, rice and pasta, pasta sauce, tinned meat and vegetables, tea and coffee, biscuits, and UHT milk and fruit juice, food banks also require vital non-food products, including pet food, toiletries, feminine products, baby supplies and household items such as washing-up liquid and laundry products.
KeyStore is also inviting retailers to engage with children’s nurseries in their area by donating Christmas selection boxes after Chris Watson of KeyStore Corseford in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, one of the symbol group’s most prolific community supporters, met with his local nursery and discovered that they do not receive the same financial support as primary and secondary schools.
Craig Brown, chief sales and marketing officer at JW Filshill, said: “Our Christmas food bank campaign has been hugely popular with KeyStore retailers with many now supporting their local food bank throughout the year, not just during the festive season.
“In an ideal world no-one should have to use a food bank but sadly they are under more pressure than ever before. So placing a wire dumpbin – which we supply free of charge – in an empty space in their store is an effortless way for retailers to support their local community and help those in need.
“We have already made a massive difference to many communities across the length and breadth of Scotland and the north of England.”
JW Filshill has distributed over 250 dumpbins across the KeyStore estate, from Stornoway and Wick in the north to Doncaster in the south.
Paul McAlinden, KeyStore regional development manager, with a representative from Moorpark Early Learning and Childcare Centre
Meanwhile, Filshill kickstarted its nurseries campaign by donating 200 cases of selection boxes to Moorpark Early Learning and Childcare Centre in Renfrew, a nursery close to wholesaler’s new office and headquarters which is due to open in early 2022.
“This is another great festive campaign for us and was inspired by Chris Watson who is active in his local community all year round and told us that nurseries typically get less funding than schools,” said Brown.
“We’re delighted to get on board with a campaign that will put a big smile on little faces in the run-up to Christmas and we are particularly pleased to support Moorpark ahead of Filshill’s relocation to Westway Park near Glasgow Airport next year.
“Retailers who engage with their local community build long-term customer loyalty and reap the rewards in terms of additional sales and footfall – and both our food bank and nurseries campaigns are prime examples of community engagement at its best.”
