A BUSINESSMAN is helping tackle poverty by working with a food bank charity.

Steve Archibald, who runs oven-cleaning firm Ovenu Oxford, will collect donations from customers and deliver them to The Trussell Trust’s food banks in Bicester and Banbury.

Former chef and father-of-one Mr Archibald said: “When I go to customers’ homes to clean their ovens, I tell them about the food banks and if they want to donate anything, I’ll use my van to transport it.

“It’s not just people who are jobless who need help, many who are working find themselves struggling. Once I explain why we are doing it, many of my customers want to help.

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“Everybody has something in their food cupboard they’re happy to donate.”

Among those helped by food banks in Oxfordshire last year were more than 1,800 children, over double the number in the previous year, according to the Below the Breadline report published earlier this year by the Trussell Trust, Oxfam and Church Action on Poverty.

Mr Archibald, 44, from Summertown, took on the Ovenu franchise for Oxford 12 years ago, after hearing about the firm on the radio. He cleans 10-15 ovens a week and has more than 5,000 customers.

To donate to Mr Archibald’s collections, call 01865 556777, email ovenuoxford@gmail.com, or visit ovenuoxford.net

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