A COMMUNITY group is holding an exciting fundraising event to help combat poverty in Reading and Wokingham.
The Rotary Club of Maiden Erlegh will be holding The Reading Charity Art & Craft Fair at Leighton Park School on October 29-30.
The event is in aid of Thomas Franks Foundation’s Feeding Communities initiative to provide free meals to those in need.
Paul Cunningham, president of The Rotary Club of Reading Maiden Erlegh, said: “This initiative fulfils two of our Rotary Aims: Helping local people in need and reducing food waste.
“We are delighted to be working with such partners to provide practical assistance to pressed local families in these difficult times.”
Entry is free and visitors can enjoy a range of paintings and craft exhibits produced by local artists.
All items will be available to purchase, with a percentage going to Feeding Communities and other charities.
Refreshments will be served in the Art Cafe run by the Inner Wheel Club of RME.
A preview night will be held on Friday, October 28. Tickets cost £10 and include canapes and a glass of wine.
The group hopes the session raises enough funds to kickstart the initiative in the Thames Valley area.
Tim Cooper, of Thomas Franks Foundation, said: “We were looking to expand our activities in Thames Valley and are delighted to be working with two organisations who have deep roots in the community and can make the initiative a success.”
So far, the Feeding Communities project has supplied over one million packaged meals to households in the Home Counties and London.
The recipes are designed to provide nutritious food using fresh ingredients.
Leighton Park School, Shinfield Road, and the rotary club are also collaborating to form a Reading hub for Feeding Communities.
The school will prepare the food, with the Rotary raising funds to pay for ingredients and delivering meals.
Headmaster, Matthew Judd, said: “We are very happy to be a partner in this local initiative and are pleased that we are able to help in hosting the fair and using our premises to prepare food etc.
“Our students will benefit by being involved in such a worthwhile local project.”
Since the start of the pandemic, The Rotary Club of Maiden Erlegh has provided over £25,000 in financial support to food banks and charitable organisations.
The group also runs exhibitions, which have raised over £50,000 for charity.
The preview night on Friday, October 28, runs from 5pm-7.30pm.
On Saturday, October 29, the event takes place from 10am-5pm.
The starting time remains unchanged on Sunday, October 30, but the closing time will be 4.30pm.
For more information or to book preview night tickets, visit: www.readingcharityartfair.org
