Suffolk Flood Risk Project Puts Community at its Heart

Background

The Lowestoft Flood Risk Management Project and its contractor Balfour Beatty have come together to support food delivery vans, providing meals and support to vulnerable people and families.

Access Community Trust set up PINK Orange at the start of the pandemic to support struggling families with vital food provision, in the form of easy-to-follow ingredient kits. Their aim was to not only provide essential food support but also encourage children and young people to learn how to cook in a simple way, through recipe cards and YouTube videos.

Antony Parke, Head of Commercial Growth and Customer Service for Access said: “It is great to see a large business, which is invested in Lowestoft support the local community in this way. Demand for PINK Orange continues to grow daily, with many vulnerable families now facing prolonged hardship as they struggle to make ends meet.”

Councillor David Ritchie, East Suffolk Council’s cabinet member for Planning and Coastal Management and Chair of the Flood Risk Management Project Board said: “We are very pleased to be supporting the Access Community Trust. Their work to support those in most need is inspiring. The Lowestoft Flood Risk Management Project is about improving Lowestoft by protecting homes and businesses from flood risk. It’s important that a project of this size also supports other initiatives to help those in the local community in most need.”

The project is being delivered through the Scape Framework, meaning the project team is committed to generating social value as part the construction through volunteering and donations to community organisations. Highlights include supporting community resilience training with charity Groundwork Ltd, donating some shelving to community re-paint scheme Re-Utilise, and raising money for local charities. It has also supported almost 500 weeks of apprenticeships and saved over 100,000 car miles through a bike scheme and car sharing.

Tom Farley, Project Manager at Balfour Beatty, said: “We are committed to supporting the communities in which we operate, rallying together to volunteer our time and resource to benefit vulnerable people.

“Through the SCAPE Framework, it has been a pleasure to provide our assistance on what is such a great initiative and we look forward to working with Access Community Trust in the future, to continue helping those in the local area who need it most.”

In addition, the Balfour Beatty construction team regularly use other services provided by Access Community Trust such as catering, videography and photography.

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