• Make a contribution
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Thursday, August 14, 2025
  • Login
Reading Today Online
  • HOME
  • YOUR AREA
    • All
    • Caversham
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Katesgrove
    • Reading
    • Southcote & Coley
    • Tilehurst & Norcot
    • Whitley

    A-Level Results: Highdown commends ‘dedication and commitment’ as students collect grades

    A-Levels Results: Little Heath commends students’ ‘hard work and determination’

    UTC congratulates students on A-Level and Diploma results

    A-Levels Results: Theale Green students achieve half a grade above national average

    One person pronounced dead after car falls into verge on M4

    Reading Borough Council releases safety and travel information ahead of Reading Festival return

    Ministers appoint consultant for possible Thames Water collapse

    SpaSeekers offers attendees chance to get a free spa unwind after Reading Festival

    Fire service attends fire in Northcourt Avenue, one person treated with emergency care

  • COMMUNITY
  • READING FC
  • SPORT
    • All
    • Basketball
    • Football
    • Rugby

    Reading FC knockout Championship opposition to progress in Carabao Cup

    Crimestoppers launches campaign to tackle violence against women and girls around sporting events

    Reading FC Women strengthen their game with Pilates in Lower Earley

    Reading-based Sport in Mind wins £4k grant from technology leader Sage

    Team GB and Paralympics GB athletes attend St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School to award £5k grant

    Reading FC defender to miss three weeks with injury

    Made in Reading: Michael Olise nominated for Ballon d’Or award

    Reading FC eye move for Portsmouth midfielder

    Women’s FA Cup ties revealed

  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Reading Today Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Featured

Rotary club’s art fair helps feed thousands

Ji-Min Lee by Ji-Min Lee
Thursday, January 19, 2023 8:01 am
in Featured, Food, People, Reading
A A
The Rotary Club of Maiden Erlegh visited Share Woodley on their first drop-off on Monday, January 9. Picture courtesy of The Rotary Club of Maiden Erlegh

The Rotary Club of Maiden Erlegh visited Share Woodley on their first drop-off on Monday, January 9. Picture courtesy of The Rotary Club of Maiden Erlegh

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

HUNDREDS of packaged meals were delivered to community support groups to help feed those in need in Reading and Wokingham on Monday, January 9.

The Rotary Club of Maiden Erlegh took 240 meals to New Beginnings, Whitley Community Development Association and Share Woodley.

This was the first batch of 2,500 frozen meals prepared by chefs from The Thomas Franks Foundation at Leighton Park School as part of its Feeding Communities project and the rotary club’s new initiative.

Funding for the meals came from the Reading Charity Art and Craft Fair at the end of October.

Scott Trathen, the club’s community service team leader, took part in the inaugural drop-off and said: “I was overcome with the scale of it all, these organisations are really well-organised and have so many people coming through the doors, mums with children, refugees, everyone. I’ve seen the best of people I’ve ever come across in my life.”

“At Share Woodley, they even have a lunch brunch for school kids during the holidays where they can do activities and eat food.

Related posts

Ruben Selles heaps praise on “exceptional” Sam Smith after scoring winner

READING 1-0 ROVERS: Smith goal fuels a win for Royals against ‘The Gas’

What is Mediation?

Almost 49,000 people waited more than four hours to be seen at RBH’s A&E department – politicians call for action

“The sense of community you see in places like the Whitley Community Development Association is amazing, especially with them having the cafe right next to their food surplus.”

He described working with The Thomas Franks Foundation in providing high quality food as ‘magic’, citing their willingness to go above and beyond as a key factor behind their positive working relationship.

Mr Trathen added that the hubs he visited are not just tackling food poverty but also food waste, obtaining items from stores and distributors who would otherwise have thrown them away.

Throughout January, Rotarians will continue delivering batches of food to the established distribution organisations the club has partnered with. These include: Churches in Reading Drop-In Centre, Woodley Food Bank, Wycliffe Share, New Beginnings, Whitley Community Development Association, Ukraine Centre and Link Visiting Scheme Wokingham.

The rotary club is also working alongside SHAREs in Wokingham, Woodley, Shinfield, Finchampstead, Winnersh and Crowthorne.

In some cases, the meals will be heated and served to users at sit-down lunches and dinners. All packages are clearly labelled with ingredients and cooking instructions.

Distribution was scheduled for January to help alleviate the pressure of the cost of living crisis on individuals and families at a time when increased energy prices will have the greatest impact.

The Thomas Franks Foundation launched the Feeding Communities initiative in 2019 to help those struggling to access food in the UK and beyond.

Of the project, the rotary club’s president Paul Cunningham said: “This initiative will reach more people in one go than any other events we have organised so far.

“We are very proud to be working with The Thomas Franks Foundation and Leighton Park School to help those in need in our local community.

“We are also delighted to be working in partnership with the distribution charities who are doing such a brilliant job.”

For the past two years, the Rotary Club of Maiden Erlegh has worked to provide food to distributors on a smaller scale in an attempt to spread ‘love and support’.

According to Mr Trathen, the club received requests for food at the start of the pandemic, which led to them donating £300 donations to Wycliffe Baptist Church’s food share and Share Woodley.

Last year’s Art and Craft Fair provided the income required to establish the new and improved project.

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Tags: art fairrdgukreading newsreading ukRotary Club
Previous Post

FROM THE CHAMBER: Greens say: Get your discount for gym and swim’

Next Post

Berkshire Vision Takes On 250 with Commonwealth Games gold medallist

FOLLOW US

POPULAR STORIES

  • Reading FC star Knibbs set to make Championship move as fee is agreed

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC face backlash after announcement of latest sponsor

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC compete with League One clubs to sign striker

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Three injured, one arrested, following attempted murder in central Reading

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC star has transfer to Charlton Athletic delayed

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

RDG.Today – which is a Social Enterprise – provides Reading Borough with free, independent news coverage.

If you are able, please support our work

Click Here to Support RDG.Today

ABOUT US

Reading Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Reading. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Reading Borough.

CONTACT US

news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Reading Today Logo

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: editor@wokingham.today, or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Bracknell
    • Calcot
    • Caversham
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
  • COMMUNITY
  • SPORT
    • Reading FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • Basketball
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
  • SUPPORT US
  • SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION

© 2021 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.