'I was homeless and on drugs until they took a chance on me - now I'm helping others'

A man has told how a Warrington foodbank "took a chance on me" and saved him from a bleak life of homelessness and drug abuse. Now, Ben Pennell is a trustee of the foodbank who offered him a lifeline - as well as being in paid employment as a staff member for the Trussell Trust.

Ben first arrived in the town back in November 2021. He recalls: “I was homeless and receiving help from one of the local charities. I was sent to the foodbank, where they initially helped me out with food, and it all spring boarded from there.

"They saw me as a whole person, rather than a problem they needed to solve. They took a chance on me and had belief in me when I didn’t have belief in myself - giving me opportunities, placing trust and responsibility in me.

"And that perspective helped develop the relationship between myself and the foodbank and helped me get to where I am today. I needed their services and I’m delighted today to be in a position to give back.

"For me, homelessness had been a long time coming. For people I encounter through the foodbank, it’s just a case of one single missed paycheck. It’s one tragic life event, something completely out of their control that can cause their whole world to crumble.

"There simply isn’t adequate support for people who slip through the gaps, hence the need for organisations like ourselves."

Ben was speaking as he welcomed the launch of a new initiative - the Warrington Fund - aimed at fundraising to help the town’s "vital" charities. Cheshire Community Foundation is behind the scheme which it hopes will benefit a range of organisations from foodbanks to mental health charities.

Projects invited to apply include those tackling poverty, mental health, illiteracy and homelessness issues. Almost £100,000 is already in place from founding donors EMR, Flex, C4 Projects, BGen, Sellafield, and Warrington Borough Council.

Ben said: "It’s a fantastic initiative that will help so many. There are so many worthwhile organisations in the town and it’s great to see a dedicated pot of money for those ventures. And I know that we’re lucky - if it wasn’t for those organisations falling outside of centralised serves in the community, we’d be in a much worse place than we are."

The launch comes after it was revealed there has been a 280 per cent increase in people visiting Warrington Foodbank, and that one in five residents have no qualifications. It’s being delivered in partnership with Warrington Voluntary Action and the support of the Steve Morgan Foundation. Grants of up to £30,000 are on offer.

Melanie Sproston, CEO of the Cheshire Community Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to announce that the Warrington Fund is now open for donations, and thanks to our founding partners we are able to take applications for grants immediately. Our aim is to provide local charities with the necessary funds enabling them to carry out essential projects, empowering them to reach even more families in need."

To find out more, visit the Warrington Fund grants page here

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