An Oldham charity has been collecting food parcels for those in need around west Oldham.

Oldham Greenhill Community Sports & Recreation Club has been collecting food from an array of sources, including supermarkets Morrison’s, as well as local takeaways HFC and catering establishments including Ai catering.

Abid Hussain is an organiser at the charity – which has a venue including an indoor football pitch, play centre, and community rooms on Havelock Street.

The charity started providing food parcels in April 2020, as a response to the Covid pandemic.

He said the food parcels got a ‘fantastic response’ – with the service spreading through word of mouth.

As well as providing food parcels, Greenhill aims to give advice and support to those in need.

The 41-year-old said: “We also do community classes in the centre, from adult classes – from baking to yoga, children’s sports and exercise.

“We’re always getting referrals to our venue, people coming in asking for any advice and support, or we pick up the phone and speak to them.”

Many families who use the service are struggling to afford food.

Abid said: “The families can’t afford it. We go and drop it off, it might just be a couple, it might be an elderly resident, it might be families of four or five, so they’ve got children.

‘People feel embarrassed’

Many people using the service feel embarrassed about their situation.

Abid said: “Sometimes if you don’t have enough, we also speak to schools to let them know, if children are coming in without breakfast, the children and family are struggling.

“Some families don’t want to discuss that, but we know they’re struggling but they feel embarrassed about it.

“We always say: don’t feel embarrassed about it, we are there to help you and we’re there to support you.”

Abid said sometimes people ask for food parcels to be left so they don’t have to be seen picking them up.

“Somebody the other day asked for a food parcel and we left it in our centre so they could pick it up and take it.

“When we leave it there, we just say ‘it’s by the fire door, just knock the door and get it, take it.

“Sometimes we know who the people are, but sometimes we don’t. We don’t need to report to anybody.”

More information about Oldham Greenhill can be found on its Twitter or Facebook page.