Stokey traders support food bank with Spring Trail

Heidi Early and Helen Symonds from the Stoke Newington Business Association

An egg-ceptionally good Spring Trail is coming to Stoke Newington this April.

Businesses along Church Street and the High Street will be displaying eggs, each marked with a letter and participants will need to find them all and unscramble the letters to work out the secret phrase to be in with a chance of winning a seasonal hamper.

17 businesses are taking part in the trail, and they’ll also be collecting donations of non-perishable food for Hackney Foodbank.

The Trail, which runs from April 7th till the 21st, is being organised by Stoke Newington Business Association.  Chair, Heidi Early, said: “Our Spring Trail is a brilliant way of getting out and visiting the local businesses who give the area so much character.  Our seasonal trails are always popular with local families – with the two-week school holiday ahead, this is a really lovely activity to keep the kids occupied! We know the food bank is desperate need of donations so we hope people will also bring along tins and packets of food to donate along the trail.”

Among the businesses taking part are The Growing Communities Farmers Market, The Ark, Way Cycles, One Scoop Store, Stoke Newington Toy Shop, Stoke Newington Bookshop, Earlybird, Metal Crumble, GK Locksmiths, Kitchen Provisions, Meat N16, Prep, Auld Shillelagh, Bless, The Spence Bakery and Askew Eyewear.

You can pick up a trail map from any of the participating businesses or download one to print at home at www.seeyouinstokey.com/stokey-spring-trail.  Participants will need to email their answers by April 22nd to be entered into the prize draw.

Demand at Hackney Foodbank has increased by 20% in the past year. The charity is currently providing emergency food for around 750 people per week and distributing around £50,000 worth of food each month.

Jenna Fansa, Head of Fundraising at the Foodbank, said: “The Stoke Newington Business Association have helped to collect more than five tonnes of food for us in recent years and we’re so very thankful that once again they’re pulling out all the stops to create a special community event, while also helping to prevent hunger in the community.”

More info about the Stokey Spring Trail here: www.seeyouinstokey.com/stokey-spring-trail