Solicitor’s foodbank help in memory of late mum

OFFICE workers, people living off benefits and those who are homeless, are all relying on a food bank run by staff at a legal firm to help feed their families.

Run by a group of solicitors inside Harbans Singh & Co, in Oldbury, clients using the food bank aren’t asked for proof of anything, and are instead trusted to take ten items each from the bi-weekly food bank.

Immigration consultant Sharan Rupra, who set up the charity in memory of her “selfless, charitable” late mother, houses the food bank in the Church Street office with the help of firm partners Amar Gill and Gurpreet Bhatia.

The solicitors spoke of their shock at seeing such a variety of people relying on their donations.

Speaking at the food bank, mum-of-four Mrs Rupra, who funds much of the charity herself in memory of Surinder Kaur Lotay, said: “I want to run this food bank in memory of my mum – and not just for people who are on benefits but for everybody.

“We don’t realise that it’s not just the people on benefits that are struggling, it’s everybody.

“My mother was my inspiration. Since Covid started, my mum started volunteering at the food bank.

“She used to drag me along and after the first time I went, I was really inspired by what she was doing there.

“I really enjoyed seeing what a difference it made.

“After she passed away, I wanted to do something in her memory and this felt like the right thing to do.”

Mr Gill said: “We get people that are homeless, people that are on benefits.

“There again, we’ve got other clientele who have said the only reason they come to us is because their bills have gone up.”

At present, the food bank relies on Mrs Rupra and partners at the firm ploughing in their own money to keep it running. But the solicitors would ideally like more donations from the community, where possible.

The food bank runs every other Tuesday from 6pm 7pm at Harbans Singh & Co solicitors office in Church Street, Oldbury.

We don’t realise that it’s not just the people on benefits that are struggling – it’s everybody Sharan Rupra

The food bank was set up by Sharan Rupra and helps many families in the community during the cost-of-living crisis