Bury St Edmunds’ Gatehouse and Suffolk Mind receive more than £3,200 each to help run services

An organisation supporting frontline charities has donated more than £3,200 to support the work of two Suffolk charities.

NFU Mutual Agents and its staff at the Bury St Edmunds agency recently nominated Gatehouse and Suffolk Mind to each receive a sum from the organisation’s £1.92 million ‘Agency Giving Fund’.

Now in its fifth year, the fund was launched to help both local and national charities with recovery from the pandemic and the rising cost of living.

To ensure each donation is directed to where it is needed the most, regional agencies are given an opportunity to nominate local charities to receive a share of the fund.

This donation will allow Gatehouse to continue funding its annual Christmas Food Hamper Project and Suffolk Mind to provide mental health support.

Amanda Bloomfield, CEO of Gatehouse, said: “Each year the demand for food parcels increases as people struggle to cope with the cost of living.

“Our project supplies just over 700 Christmas hampers during December, which means that over this precious time parents do not have to make that decision whether to eat or provide presents.

“We also provide home cooked Christmas meals at our community hub for those that are isolated and lonely. This donation will help to continue our vital work within the community.”

Julie Long, fund-raising manger at Suffolk Mind, added: “The money donated will be used across Suffolk Mind’s local services, including supporting the running of our 0300-infoline, subsidised/fully funded counselling and funded services such as mental health training for schools.

“All these vital services contribute to our mission to make Suffolk the best place in the world to talk about and take care of mental health.”

Both charities will receive more than £3,200 each.