London City Airport donates £50,000 to local foodbanks

London City Airport (LCY) has once again shown its commitment to being a good neighbour to its surrounding communities by pledging to donate £50,000 to help nine local foodbanks.

The foodbanks are all located across the London boroughs of Newham, Greenwich, Tower Hamlets & Barking & Dagenham.

In 2019, the airport, which is based in the London Borough of Newham, established a Community Fund to provide local East London community groups with an annual £75,000 donation.

However, given the severe impact of coronavirus locally, the airport together with its Community Fund trustees, decided to increase that amount in 2020 and will make £50,000 available immediately for the foodbanks.

This means that over the past year, the airport would have provided grants worth more than £165,000 to support local causes.

East London foodbanks are playing a critical role in getting essential supplies to vulnerable people and families who have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis in the UK’s capital city.

To date, there have been over 2,000 confirmed cases across the four boroughs which, along with local schools being and other essential local services closed, has created unparalleled levels of demand.

The Newham foodbank, for example has seen demand surge by over 300% across its centres. The challenge has also been exacerbated by a reduction of individual donations due to the current social distancing guidance.

LCY’s CEO, Robert Sinclair, said: “East London is renowned for its resilience and the efforts by the men and women in local food banks is truly superhuman and inspiring.

“They represent the best of our community and I am proud that the airport, even in a small way, will be able to help individuals and families receive support.”

LCY has effectively been closed since March 25 when it announced that it was temporarily suspending all commercial and private flights due to coronavirus crisis.

The airport, which is one mile away from NHS Nightingale, notes that it remains on hand to support the emergency services and military in the national relief effort.