Local window cleaner ditches Christmas cards to help those in need

The shopping that Holt window cleaner Jon Sibley donated to the Fakenham food bank. Picture: Jon Sibley. (Image: Archant)

A local window cleaner has ditched Christmas cards and used the money to donate to those in need.

Jon Sibley took the money he would have spent on festive cards and brought shopping from Tesco in Fakenham to donated it to the Foodbank in store on behalf of his company and customers.

Mr Sibley said: "I have around 170 customers. So, rather than waste money on a card that will be thrown in the bin, I thought why don't I give a little bit back?"

He was also inspired to help the Foodbank after a friend confessed to using the charity earlier this year, he said: "A close friend had a few problems earlier in the year. Had they said to me that they're in a bit of a situation I would have helped them. I didn't find this out until afterwards.

"But they said how good the Foodbank had been to them. So I then decided to donate for people who need it but who are perhaps too proud to say to their friends and family that they need a hand."

Jon and his wife were working in a bakery earlier this year. But, Jon's wife had to leave her job to look after her son who is autistic.

Money got tight for them, but Jon had an idea after hearing on the school run that local people didn't have a window cleaner. In March, Jon brought a set of ladders and started as a part-time window cleaner.

By the end of May, he became a full-time window cleaner after his business took off over Facebook.

Mr Sibley, from Holt, is hopeful that his donation could encourage others. He said:" By me donating just a small trolley of food, I believe it can get more people thinking about donating even 50 pence worth of food and putting it in the bank. Who wants to know that somebody is hungry at Christmas."

Looking ahead to next year, Jon hopes his business has grown enough to do the cards and food bank. But if not, the Foodbank will still get its donation.