We are delighted to announce that the Minorfern Foundation has recently awarded grants to two remarkable local charities: Ben’s Den in Derbyshire and Stairfoot Foodbank in South Yorkshire. These latest contributions are part of Minorfern Foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting high-impact charitable organisations in their communities.
Employees at the SDL Minorfern Ilkeston branch handing a cheque over to the Ben’s Den Team.
Ben’s Den: Creating Joy for Children with Serious Illnesses
Ben’s Den is a charity founded in memory of Ben Parker, who passed away from leukaemia in 2003. Established in March 2004 by his parents, the charity supports families of children battling cancer or leukaemia by offering free caravan holidays.
Ben, diagnosed with leukaemia at age 10, showed remarkable courage throughout his treatment, inspiring those around him until his passing at age 13. His parents, having experienced the emotional and financial strain of dealing with childhood cancer, founded Ben’s Den to provide families with opportunities to create lasting memories away from hospital environments.
The charity now operates seven caravans, including one adapted for wheelchair access, at Golden Sands in Mablethorpe and Tattershall Lakes near Sleaford, and has provided over 1500 families with much-needed breaks.
The Foundation’s support will allow more families to benefit from these invaluable breaks, offering them comfort and happiness during challenging times.
Photo: Julie Salter from SDL Minorfern handing a cheque over to the Stairfoot Foodbank Team.
Stairfoot Foodbank: Nourishing the Community
Stairfoot Foodbank, established during the COVID-19 pandemic, is a lifeline for many in Barnsley, providing emergency food parcels to individuals and families facing financial hardship.
Run entirely by dedicated volunteers, the foodbank often feeds up to 147 people weekly and relies on fundraising activities like car boot sales and coffee mornings to purchase necessary food items.
In addition to food parcels, they create special Christmas hampers with gifts for families and collaborate with local schools on community service projects, fostering community spirit and awareness.
The funding received from the Minorfern Foundation will go towards essential costs such as insurance and fuel, and will also help them to purchase a new freezer.
The Minorfern Foundation is a charity initiative launched by family-owned vehicle parts distributor SDL Minorfern in 2023, dedicated to supporting local charitable organisations that make a significant impact on the lives of individuals and communities across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire. By providing these grants, the Foundation aims to strengthen the efforts of Ben’s Den and Stairfoot Foodbank, enabling them to continue their invaluable work.
The company’s employees also took some time to meet with both beneficiaries. Julie Salter, Human Resources Director at SDL Minorfern, spent a morning volunteering with the team, and was also present when Ben’s Den visited employees at the SDL Minorfern Ilkeston branch.
“We volunteered for the morning at Stairfoot Foodbank, working with them to put the parcels together. Seeing how many people needed to use the foodbanks was really hard to see, the queue was around the corner of the church within a few minutes of it being open. There were families bringing suitcases to carry the food back on two buses to get home. These volunteers give all of their time for free, even using their own fuel to go and do food runs. Our contribution will go towards getting their van back on the road and buying a new fridge and freezer to store the donations.
Ben’s Den is yet another example of the selflessness of people who have gone through such horrendous grief, yet they find a way to give back to others. This charity provides free caravan holidays for families with children battling cancer. With our donation they are going to be able to provide equipment for the caravans to ensure families who are staying there have everything they need. Even when they get to the caravan, they may not be able to leave it due to medical needs, but it is a different environment, where they can spend quality time together as a family.”
Julie Salter – Human Resources Director, SDL Minorfern
We are proud to spotlight these exceptional charities and the positive change they bring. For more information about the Minorfern Foundation and its initiatives, please visit the SDL Minorfern website, or search #MinorfernFoundation on social media.
