GroceryAid is the new name for the combined Sweet Charity and Caravan charities Earlier this year, both Trustee groups agreed that there was much to be gained from the formalisation of an already close working relationship and that the wider grocery industry would benefit from the combining of each charity’s work. The reach of GroceryAid now extends from the largest factory, to the supply chain and through to the smallest of stores.
The welfare services provided by the charities are very similar. GroceryAid takes the best from the welfare services currently offered by Caravan and Sweet Charity and is making them available to all in our industry. For example, the Caravan Welfare Helpline is now available to all involved with Sweet Charity.
The enlarged charity currently looks after more than 5,000 current and former industry colleagues who have fallen on hard times. Close to £3m will be spent on welfare support in the coming twelve months with our wide-ranging and varied offer of welfare assistance.
The current chair of Caravan Trustees, Tony Smith, will stand down at the end of 2012 and Chris Etherington, CEO of Palmer & Harvey and current chair of Sweet Charity Trustees will take on the role of chair of the new enlarged Trustee group. Patrick Davis, Director General of Sweet Charity retired on 31st August 2012 and Gillian Barker, currently Director General of Caravan has taken over as Director General of GroceryAid.
