WARBURTONS has pledged to donate thousands of pounds to charities around Lancashire as communities continue to grapple with the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

The company, which has a bakery in Burnley, is particularly focused on donating to smaller, independent charities in the area which have been been impacted particularly harshly.

These include the Burnley Pioneer Project, the Foundation for Ribble Valley Families and Haslingden Cricket Club.

Executive director Brett Warburton said: “With so many people in our communities facing challenging times, organisations and charities across the country have been working tirelessly to provide vital support to those who need it the most.

The donations made to each of the charities have ranged between £400 to £5,000 totalling around £13,000.

The company hopes that these donations will help the charities, all of which have been hit hard by the pandemic, to survive and get back on their feet as lockdown eases.

The virus has curtailed huge amounts of charity fundraising and made normal methods such as operating charity shops and organising sponsored sporting events impossible and cash donations like these have been sorely needed.

For Warburtons, and more specifically the Warburton family which has run the firm since its foundation in 1870, the donations have been a way of paying back to the community that has nurtured it and seen it grow to become one of the UK’s most recognised bread brands.

Meanwhile at a national level, the company has donated over £450,000 to charities of varying sizes since the start of lockdown through its Families Matter charity programme.

The programme also includes weekly product donations to food banks and school visits which aim to teach children about bread making and the importance of healthy eating.

Mr Warburton said: “As a family business that has been supporting local communities for over 144 years, we recognise organisations like these are under pressure and in need of support. That’s why, through our community investment programme, Families Matter, we are trying to help with both financial and product donations, to support charities and families where we can.”

The full list of charities:

  • Cancer Help (Preston) Ltd
  • Brian House Children's Hospice
  • Bury FC Community Trust
  • SELFA
  • Haslingden Cricket Club
  • The Principle Trust Children’s Charity
  • Vision of Adventure
  • Whitewell Bottom Pre School
  • Just Good Friends ( North West) Ltd
  • The Olive Branch (Faith in Action)
  • Oakworth Pre-School
  • The Hive Silsden CIO
  • Calderdale Community Coaching Trust
  • The Foundation for Ribble Valley Families
  • The Electric Sunshine Project cic
  • Friends of East Pines Park
  • Burnley Pioneer Project
  • Wyre Cricket Club
  • CHAT Carers and bereavement support group
  • South Shore Community Partnership