A GROUP of business owners from Whitchurch have teamed up to help support one of the town's most important causes.

Homefolk, Moo and Boom and Refill Your Boots recently joined forces to support the Whitchurch Foodbank, by putting together a hamper, which was raffled off during Whitchurch's Christmas lights switch on.

In total the three businesses, run by Lucy Young, Stella Ashbrook and Maria MacNae respectively, were able to raise more than £600 for the foodbank.

The three made the decision to raise funds for the foodbank, after hearing about how many people used its services.

Maria said the group wanted to collaborate to help the community.

She said: "As businesses, we wanted to support our local community and having help fundraise for the Whitchurch Foodbank before, we know how hard they work delivering emergency food where its needed the most.

"With more people than ever living below the poverty line, the support offered by the foodbank is essential and especially at this time of the year.

'We have made some small donations throughout the past year to the foodbank but raising £615 between us feels like a phenomenal achievement, especially in only three weeks.

"It's great that three independent business can join forces to support a local charity and we couldn't have done it without our customers."

Meanwhile, Stella added: "As a group of Women in business we collaborated to make as much as we could over a very short period of time for the foodbank in Whitchurch.

"Last year Maddie from MOO and BOOM raised over £250 which helped buy two trolley loads of shopping for the foodbank prior to Christmas, this was much appreciated.

"The rise in people, families and homeless needing support is frightening and as a community it is important we support as much as we can, we are delighted.

"To have raised £615 over three weeks, this is because we worked together as a team, promoting each business and appreciating our customers support.

Alan Scutt, project manager at the Whitchurch Foodbank, said he was pleased with the donation.

He said: "We're so thankful for the donation and the great work Moo and Boom, Refill Your Boots and Homefolk have done in raising it.

"It will help tremendously toward our Christmas emergency food parcels.

"Financial support helps us to purchase the essential and in demand items that we're short of. "