News

Please Remember The Foodbank This Harvest Festival

14th September 2016

Stratford Foodbank are asking local schools, churches and community groups to consider collecting for them this harvest. Items particularly needed are toilet rolls, tinned soup, rice pudding and children’s treats.

 

In the past few years the Foodbank has gratefully received donations from churches and schools around harvest time. In turn, these donations have helped feed those in the Stratford area facing unexpected financial difficulty. Since starting the service in January 2013 the foodbank has fed over 4,000 people, averaging a fairly consistent 100 people a month, of which 20% are children.

 

Foodbank food parcels use tinned and packaged items to provide 3 days’ worth of emergency food. All food items are tinned or packaged, the foodbank cannot store fresh or chilled items, and parcels are collated according to nutritional guidance set out by the Trussell Trust. Stratford’s foodbank is one of over 400 Trussell Trust foodbanks currently in operation across the UK. It is staffed by 40+ volunteers and one part time manager.

 

The Foodbank has excellent relationships with many referral agency partners such as the CAB and the District Council. These referral partners issue food bank vouchers to those in need. Food is distributed to those in possession of a voucher on a Tuesday or Friday between 12 and 2.

 

Marion Homer the Foodbank Manager said,

 

“Harvest is always a time where we are overwhelmed by the generosity of Stratford residents. Last Autumn I attended a number of harvest assemblies and was humbled by the sight of school children bringing their gifts to share with those less fortunate in our town. I would like to encourage all schools, churches and community groups to consider if they can collect for us during this harvest festival and in exchange we can offer our services to speak at services and assemblies.”

 

Should any group wish collect either food or money for the foodbank, or would like to request a speaker for services or assemblies please contact Marion Homer on [email protected]

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