Bedale based HECK! Food is celebrating the power of local community with a raft of initiatives in 2024.

The company is also launching the HECK! Community Fund, aimed at recognising and supporting individuals and smaller organisations making a real impact in their neighbourhoods.

As a family and friends-run business started in 2013, community has always been at the heart of HECK!. Every month, the company will add money into the Community Fund, designed to celebrate UK-wide projects making a difference in their local communities and inviting individuals and organisations to share their stories and needs.

Jamie Keeble, HECK co-founder, said: "Since we launched 11 years ago, we’ve been working to support local causes in the parishes close to HECK! HQ, but it was during the pandemic that we really saw the power of community to create positive change and how people came together to help each other.

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“We know communities can identify their own responses to challenges but may struggle when it comes to funding. Building on the community work we’re already involved in, we wanted to set up an official fund to help those individuals and smaller groups where we can and champion the great work they are doing.

“The HECK! Community Fund embodies our commitment to giving back, whether through financial support, volunteering our team’s time or helping community events with product and prize donations.”

York Press: HECK! Community Litter Pick.

Regular HECK! community events include Souper Fridays where the team helps serve soup in the local village, the company’s monthly free community lunches where people can come and eat, socialise and make friends, as well a host of other seasonal events that are free for local people to enjoy and sponsorships including the local theatre Panto.

HECK! also recently held a successful senior citizen Birthday Bash Lunch, with the team receiving letters from local residents saying how much the food, entertainment and atmosphere was enjoyed.

Individuals and organisations interested in applying for HECK! Community Funding can go to: www.heckfood.co.uk/pages/community.