Southend Foodbank, a local charity dedicated to helping individuals in the Southend and Rochford area who are facing difficult times and struggling to meet basic needs, recently hosted their first-ever Wine Tasting event. The event was held on Monday 10 February, 2025 and was a tremendous success, raising just shy of £1,000 for the charity.
The evening was led by Aston Line from Worsley Wines and Samantha, the Community Fundraiser for Southend Foodbank, and featured an entertaining and informative three-hour wine-tasting session. Attendees were treated to a delightful selection of six wines from various regions across Europe and South Africa.
The event was graciously hosted at Porters Civic House, which was generously gifted by The Worshipful Mayor of Southend-on-Sea and his family. The staff at Porters Civic House, Tanya, Colin, and Adam, were instrumental in ensuring the smooth running of the evening.
The Wine Tasting event was attended by local individuals and businesses, and also had the honor of the presence of The Worshipful Mayor and his family. The event not only raised much-needed funds for the foodbank, but also raised awareness about the important work they do in the local community.
Aston from Worsley Wines not only donated his time for the evening, but also a selection of rare and unusual wines that were auctioned off, raising an additional £150 for the charity. He expressed his delight at being able to support such a worthy cause and said, “Worsley Wines is a proudly independent, family-run firm, and we have been contributing to the local community since we were founded in 1982. Southend Foodbank does such important work protecting our City’s most vulnerable, and it is a cause that we are proud to support.”
The demand for emergency food parcels in Southend is still at record levels, and the foodbank is in need of further support. Since early 2024, they have been spending over £15k a month on food, in addition to the generous donations from local families, churches, businesses, schools, and community groups.
The success of the Wine Tasting event is a testament to the generosity and support of the local community, and the funds raised will go directly towards the ongoing work of Southend Foodbank. Their dedication to supporting those in need and raising awareness about their work is truly commendable.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.