Fri, 20 Feb 2026

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 Closing factory workers paid to help at food bank

Dutch coffee-making giant Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE) will close its plant in Banbury this year.
JDE allows staff to volunteer at local food bank while factory closes Workers at JDE's Oxfordshire factory, which will close in August after six decades, have been allowed to help out at a nearby food bank. The company has given permission for groups of five employees to work at the Banbury Breadline Project while they still receive their pay from JDE. Andrew Wickham, owner and organiser of the food bank, said he was grateful for the support, describing it as a "great help" in providing vital assistance to vulnerable members of the community. The factory's closure has been due to high maintenance costs, according to JDE, which stated that colleagues have been given the opportunity to volunteer their time to local causes.
  >>