Swindon Samaritan

Swindon mail centre’s diversity group helped support a local charity run by one of their work area managers over Christmas.

Throughout the year, early shift parcels manager, Umar Farooq, raises money for people who are sleeping rough on the streets of Swindon.

Umar has set up a registered charity, ‘Beka Welfare Trust’ to enable him to do this. Umar has been helping the homeless and others in need in Swindon for approximately four years now.

He can be found out and about in all weathers, from 10pm, three times a week, every week, providing Swindon’s needy with hot drinks, biscuits, cakes and hot dinners. A current favourite is chicken and rice and he also offers a vegetarian option.

Umar’s family are involved and his children worked hard making up Christmas hampers which included toothbrushes, soaps, jumpers, chocolates and other items that were collected.

Over the festive period the diversity group at Swindon supported Farooq by raising the profile of Farooq’s charity and asking colleagues to donate clothes, blankets and toiletries.

They also collected almost £400 to fund the food that Umar gives out to the approximately 15 people Umar looks after on a regular basis.

Umar said: ‘I would like to thank Swindon Diversity Group for all their help and to all the employees of Swindon mail centre for their generosity.’

Plant manager, Dan Williams, said: ‘I am extremely proud of the support the team in Swindon have shown to our surrounding community. This really demonstrates how caring and generous our colleagues in the plant are. Thank you all for your continued support.’