Surrey Cricket and Kia Oval make £16,000 donation to Lambeth food bank fund

Surrey County Cricket Club and The Kia Oval have donated over £16,000 to the Lambeth Food Bank Fund.

Each year, the club selects a range of charity partners to benefit from fundraising activities during the Test match played at The Kia Oval.

The Lambeth Food Bank was one of those chosen for the England v India LV= Insurance Test match in early September 2021.

The Lambeth Foodbank Fund was set up by three volunteers in March 2020, to support charities providing food to those most in need in Lambeth during the pandemic.

The fund distributes every penny donated to 11 food banks and charities addressing food poverty across Lambeth.

Jon Surtees, head of community at Surrey County Cricket Club, said: “Through the work of our foundation, we are delighted to work in partnership with the Lambeth Food Bank Fund, a charity that is helping many thousands of people throughout our local community.

“We are proud that our foundation works with a number of local and cricket based charities annually to make a difference and support our shared objectives.

“Sadly, there was a 127% increase in the number of people receiving emergency food parcels in Lambeth last year.

“This is staggering and everyone at the club wanted to make sure that we supported the amazing work of local food banks and volunteers as they gave up their time to try to ensure people who are struggling could still put food on their table.”

Will Straw, Lambeth resident and one of the founders of the Lambeth Food Bank, said: “We want to say a huge thank you to the Kia Oval for making us a charity partner and for supporting the incredible work of the food banks and charities across Lambeth.

“When we set up the fund, we thought we might raise a few thousands pounds. To have now raised over £100,000 is incredible.

“We hear regularly from our 11 food banks and charities about the difference the Fund is making to local families.”

The 11 food banks and charities supported by the fund are:

• Clapham Park Foodbank
• Norwood & Brixton Foodbank
• Vauxhall Foodbank
• Waterloo Foodbank
• Holy Trinity Clapham Foodbank 
• Ace of Clubs
• Compliments of the house
• Robes
• South London Refugee Association
• Streatham Drop-In Centre
• Streatham Youth & Community Trust