A free family fun day organised by Milton Keynes food producer Cranswick Convenience Foods, aims to build community connection and raise over £10,000 in much needed funds for local homelessness charity UnityMK.
Now in its fifth year, the event will be a chance for local people to come along and have fun but also learn more about the community work being done by charities like UnityMK and local businesses in the Milton Keynes area.
Homelessness is an ongoing problem in Milton Keynes with current estimates showing that 1 in 93 people in Milton Keynes are currently experiencing homelessness – a 43% increase on the previous year.
The fun day, which will take place on Sunday 7 September from 11am-3pm at Middleton Pavilion on Worrelle Avenue, Milton Keynes, will feature food, drinks, fairground rides, cakes, games and stalls, arts and crafts and more. This year will also see Cranswick host its own stall to help inform and inspire local people about the food industry, career opportunities within the sector, food culture and how it brings people together and its role as a local business supporting the MK community and local charities.
Sam Pearl, Site Director at Cranswick Convenience Foods in MK commented:
“We are exceptionally proud of our long-standing partnership with UnityMK. For over four years we have partnered with them to address homelessness and poverty in Milton Keynes, contributing £84,000 in donations and providing volunteering support. We believe that a great business is measured by the positive impact it has on products, people and the planet. I’m particularly proud of our Work Committee who continue to think of new ways to support our community and fundraise, as well drive our employee volunteering for UnityMK and beyond. We simply couldn’t do any of this without our amazing people at Cranswick Milton Keynes. We hope that our community partnership with UnityMK can be a catalyst for other local businesses to do the same and help reduce homelessness in Milton Keynes. We’d also like to thank our lead sponsor of the Fun Day, Stonegrove Refrigeration, who are helping us make this the best one yet.”
Homelessness remains a critical problem in Milton Keynes with around 42 people dropping into Unity MK’s crisis centre every weekday morning for food/drink and/or support from their welfare team. Over 80% of guests (across all the charity’s services) have mental health challenges, increasing from 65% last year.
Ria House, Fundraising Manager at UnityMK said:
“Our services are a vital lifeline for people struggling with homelessness in MK and our support is aimed at helping them take meaningful steps on their path away from homelessness. Over the past year, homelessness in Milton Keynes has risen by a staggering 43%*. Every weekday, we welcome around 40 individuals to our homelessness centre, where they receive hot meals, drinks, and crucial support from our dedicated welfare team without the need for an appointment.
“We are deeply grateful for the continued support of the Cranswick team. Their dedication to our charity is a great example of how local businesses can drive real change in the community. From providing food for our café, to offering work placements for our guests, volunteering in our night shelters, and raising essential funds through events like this, their ongoing commitment has a lasting impact.”
Cranswick has offered permanent jobs to 12 guests referred by UnityMK through their employment pathway referral scheme and in 2024/5 over 350 hours of volunteering were completed by employees for community partners including UnityMK, providing critical support for their night shelter throughout the winter months. Additionally, Cranswick provides routes to employment in the community via work experience and apprenticeships through partners such as the NHS and MK Assisted Employment.
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