A Milton Keynes-based business is running a free family fun day to raise much-needed funds for a local homeless charity.
A free family fun day organised by Cranswick Convenience Foods, a local business. will take place on Sunday, September 8, and aims to raise much-needed funds for MK homeless charity, UnityMK, as it prepares to launch its autumn recruitment drive for more volunteers to help run its night shelters over the winter months.
The family fun day will take place at the Middleton Pavilion on Worrelle Avenue, Milton Keynes and will be free to enter. As well as food, drinks, fairground rides, cakes, games and stalls, arts and crafts and a range of other family entertainments, the UnityMK team will be there sharing information on how to get involved with the charity.
Sam Pearl, Site Director at Cranswick Convenience Foods said, “This is the fourth year that we have held the Family Fun Day for UnityMK and we’re hoping it will be bigger and better than ever. Last year’s event raised over £8,000 and our aim this year is to beat that figure as well as to drive awareness of volunteer opportunities for this important local charity that makes such a difference to the people that it supports."
Sam continued, “As a large business and employer in Milton Keynes, we have been supporting UnityMK, as well as other local causes, for a number of years and we are keen to ensure the issue of homelessness in the city is top of the agenda. Last year we donated £27,000 to UnityMK and raised over £35,000 in total for the local community and charity partners. All of our team are committed to supporting UnityMK’s work through financial support, volunteering, employment, and upskilling initiatives that we run.
“We hope that our community work will act as a catalyst for other local businesses to get involved and show that consistent, involved support by businesses for local charities like UnityMK can make a real difference.”
UnityMK currently meets with 5 to 10 people each week, who are newly homeless or at risk of immediate homelessness for the first time. Last winter season 210 meals were served weekly to guests at their winter night shelter venues. The night shelter runs between November and April and is often at capacity of 15 beds full every night. Women made up 15% of those who sought help at the night shelter during the 2023-2024 season.
Ria House Fundraising Manager at UnityMK said, “Demand for our services is as busy as ever right now with our welfare team typically seeing an estimated 230 visitors to Unity Park Station a month. Our services can really make a difference to people’s lives and we are always keen to hear from people who would like to volunteer with us and have a number of opportunities available now. We will also be launching our annual recruitment drive for winter night shelter volunteers in autumn.”
“We’re delighted that Cranswick continue to support us in Milton Keynes and their donations have helped us to survive through the pandemic and beyond. We hope that this event will provide something fun to do with the family on the first weekend after kids go back to school and be something for people to look forward to after the summer holidays", Ria concluded.
There will be a UnityMK stand at the family fun day for those who would like to find out more about being a volunteer and get involved with the work of the charity. You can sign up via UnityMK’s website at unitymk | UnityMK
More details about the Family Fun Day on Sunday 8th September can be found on Cranswick Milton Keynes’ Facebook page.
