NEWS Charity gains in Hub loss

A SILVER lining came out of the closure of the Palmerston Sports Club, with local charity Foodbank picking up hundreds of kilos of food to deliver to the region’s needy.

The club, also known as The Hub, shut its doors on Wednesday. The closure shocked the community and left more than 50 people out of a job.

More than 900kg of food was donated to Foodbank.

They supply food to charities that feed the Territory’s neediest residents.

Foodbank NT chief executive Paul Avery said the items donated would make 1216 meals.

He said the generosity of The Hub would mean people would be tucking into delicious high-quality meals next week.

He said the produce collected were items Foodbank rarely saw come through their doors.

“We got seafood and got some quality steak, it’s not normally something that we ever source,” he said. “It’s great for our clients.” Foodbank also picked up a wide range of fresh veggies.

Foodbank collected the food on Friday after employees, who were offered the food, elected to donate it to others more needy.

“It’s a really positive thing out of a really negative thing,” Mr Avery said.

In a statement, board members said the Palmerston Sports Club had been forced to close its doors after suffering a downturn in business while having to maintain an undesirable cost structure and premises that were no longer conducive to patronage.

The Hub had been operating since 1999.