RUSSIAN philanthropists have made a second donation to the Wokingham community.
Ex-banker Andrey Borodin and his wife Tatiana Korsakova, who were granted political asylum in the UK, donated enough money for Wokingham Foodbank to buy a new van to help with deliveries.
Manager Annette Medhurst said the foodbank team were thrilled to receive the donation, which she said has already made a significant difference to their lives.
“We had talked on and off about the pros and cons of getting a van,” she said.
“A lot of our volunteers use their personal cars to move stock and make deliveries.”
Ms Medhurst said she consulted with the Trussell Trust before the van was purchased, due to the size of the donation.
“It’s certainly not an every day thing,” she said.
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“We knew it would really help us, and knew they had made significant donations to other organisations in the area.
“It’s amazing that they were in a position to be able to support us – although it’s a sorry state of affairs when charities rely on generous donations rather than the cause being dealt with higher up the tree by central government.”
She added: “It’s sad that donations are needed to meet the level of need in the borough. But the bottom line is, it’s made our lives easier, and it’s made supporting people who are struggling easier.”
Ms Medhurst said they chose a navy blue van, and kept it unbranded so as not to draw attention to the foodbank as a source of help when making deliveries.
The couple previously gave £250,000 to Berkshire Community Foundation, to fund an 18-month pilot scheme with Mind, the mental health charity, to help people suffering from anxiety, isolation and stress in the borough.
They have also donated £1 million to The Royal Berkshire Hospital to help in the pandemic.
The couple live in a £140 million mansion in Remenham, previously dubbed Britain’s most expensive home.
