Countryside Alliance praises hunting community

Over the last few weeks, Annie O'Donnell wife of a joint-master of the North Shropshire Hunt has been collecting for Foodbank Plus, one of Shropshire's food banks. Foodbank Plus operates under the Barnabas Community Projects and is run by Karen Williams and a team of over 80 volunteers.

For Christmas alone they are putting 168 food parcels together for families all across Shropshire from one person to 10, so everyone who is in need of some help can have a lunch and try to relax from the day to day stress of making ends meet.

Annie has worked hard to pull together items from personal hygiene products to dried foods and tins that have a good shelf life. Items like washing powder, feminine and baby products are also most welcome and make a huge difference.

Members of the North Shropshire Hunt have generously given items by adding a few things to their weekly shop and then handing them over at the meets. Poppy her daughter has also helped with taking them to the food bank.

Polly Portwin, Head of Hunting at the Countryside Alliance commended the hunt's efforts: "A huge thank you must go to all those involved in this incredibly worthy initiative. This type of organised activity by those who follow hounds is yet another example of their involvement in local communities, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of pounds they raise for charities such as cancer research and the air ambulance through designated hunt events and donations."

"The support from all members of the North Shropshire Hunt has been overwhelming and it's so lovely that we can help people in our own community," explained Annie O'Donell.

Karen from Foodbank Plus explained: "It's not just people in towns and cities who need the services of food banks but many people in isolated rural communities are also in great need of support, not just this time of year but all year around".