Wolverhampton Racecourse, the Reuben Foundation and The City of Wolverhampton Council can today announce a new scheme to support the local community with the purchase and distribution of over a thousand emergency supply boxes, each containing a range of store cupboard and bathroom essentials.

The team at Wolverhampton Racecourse is working with The City of Wolverhampton Council to continue to support the needs of people in the city who currently face real hardship throughout the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, or are self-isolating at home without any family or friends to support them.

The City of Wolverhampton Council will undertake the distribution of these boxes, as part of its established emergency food and provision delivery procedures which has seen more than 15,000 food parcels delivered across the city since the coronavirus lockdown.

The boxes donated from the Racecourse contain a range of store cupboard and bathroom essentials including tea, coffee, UHT milk, pasta sauce, canned fruit, canned veg, fresh baked bread, cereal, biscuits , and toilet rolls , all designed to help support the local community at this difficult time.

As part of ARC, Britain’s largest group of horse and greyhound racing venues, Wolverhampton Racecourse has been able to work with nationwide suppliers to put together these emergency boxes, with the generous financial support of the Reuben Foundation.

Executive Director of Wolverhampton Racecourse, David Roberts, said, “We are well aware of the impact that the current health crisis and lockdown has had on many people in the local area.

“Whilst racing at Wolverhampton has been suspended, we have been pleased to work with The City of Wolverhampton Council and our suppliers, Brakes, with the significant financial support of the Reuben Foundation, to put together these emergency supply boxes which we hope will benefit a large number of people across our community.

“We very much hope that the boxes will go some way to helping those who are finding things difficult at the moment and to whom we would like to wish all the very best.”

A spokesman for the Reuben Foundation said, “The Reuben Foundation are pleased to support the local community at this time of crisis. This continues our involvement in a number of charitable projects where we have been providing support to families and individuals who are impacted by the pandemic and also in purchasing protective equipment and food for front-line NHS staff and others”.

Councillor Ian Brookfield, Leader of The City of Wolverhampton Council, said, “We are incredibly proud of our efforts to ensure our most vulnerable residents have had the security of regular supplies during this crisis and this incredibly generous award from Wolverhampton Racecourse and the Reuben Foundation which will help to ensure even more people benefit.

“The council could not have achieved what we achieved without the support of local partners working together as one city to support us. Turning a leisure centre into a big food distribution hub to feed thousands of people in just a few days was no mean feat and our city has stepped up to the plate like never before.”

Advice and support for all local residents is available on the council website at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/coronavirus.