Foodbanks across the Diocese

Caption: Tina MacDonald at Alcombe

West Somerset Food Cupboard, Alcombe

This project relies on partners both for supplies and as the link to those in need: boxes are allocated based on requests from care agencies like Home Start and Magna Domestic Abuse for their clients.

It is a very good example of using a different format if the Trussell Trust model does not fit the parish/ area. Read their story for more information.

The Lord's Larder

The Lord’s Larder Food Bank is a local ‘bank’ of non-perishable food operated by volunteers from churches in and around Yeovil.

It began in a small way in 1991 when a representative of Yeovil Citizens’ Advice Bureau spoke about the need for emergency food to a member of one of the churches in Yeovil. It is now supplied by over 20 local churches, 20 schools and several community groups.

Between 1996 and 2009, there was a seven-fold increase in supply and demand for the project. Last year in 2009, over 33,000 items of food were given out via 58 different agencies to 1200 adults and 737 children.

How the Larder Works:

• Food and money are donated throughout the year by local churches, businesses, schools and charities.
• Volunteers sort & store all donations of food in a purpose built larder.
• Requests for food are made by phone through recognized agencies, who then collect parcels to hand on to their clients.
• Emergency food parcels are made up by the volunteers, according to need.

More information is available on their website.

The Lord's Larder, Chard

There is also a Lords Larder in Chard administered under the auspices of Chard Churches Together and based at Forefront Community Office in Fore Street, Chard. Like Yeovil, Chard Churches Together with churches in surrounding villages have boxes at the back of churches for people to donate produce.Full details are available on the Forefront website.

The Mustard Seed Foodbank, Somerton

Started in 2010, the Mustard Seed foodbank is an ecumenical project run through Churches Together in Somerton. It began life after much prayer and consultation revealed the depth of hidden need and food poverty in this rural area. The project was headed up by the curate of St Michael and All Angels, Rev Bruce Faulkner and has been staffed by a small group of volunteer shoppers, drivers and 'ears to the ground'. Many of the areas residents are reluctant to openly admit their needs and, as a result, Mustard Seed has found themselves involved at the crisis point. Help has been requested via health visitors, the local school families liaison worker and church members for people who find themselves at the tipping point, in several cases with quite literally no food in the house.
 
Mustard Seed began with a bank of food, collected from local churches and shops but soon found the unpredictable nature of need meant that some of the foodstuffs, despite long shelf lives, were soon running out of date. Today it operates with a small reserved fund which can be accessed when required and the necessary items purchased and delivered.
 
The foodbank has proved a wonderful tool for mission. The families who receive a visit are given details of who has supplied the 'goodies' and why; that God loves them! Whilst a small project, the ripples of love that spread out from it are noticeable in the community and the lives of those who have received some help.
 
For further details please contact the new project administrator Rachael Maynard, by email or c/o St Cleers Chapel, Polham Lane, Somerton, Somerset TA11 6SP.

St John's, Highbridge

St John's has recently set up a foodbank via the Trussell Trust in response to deprivation in the parish; a very high percentage of people on benefits with no savings to fall back on. The scheme will enable them to work with other agencies such as Citizens Advice Bureau, Barnardos, Housing Associations and Social Services as well as our local schools and children’s centre. These agencies will be able to refer households in need.

Their longer term vision is to generate some much needed work experience/ employment in Highbridge. They hope to find shop premises to create a simple community café which will be front of house for The Foodbank as well as being a ‘signposting’ hub where local folks can be directed towards other schemes and places of support.

Read their full story in the January edition of Connect.

Five Loaves and Two Fishes

Although a Bristol-based project, several of our churches on that side of the Diocese including St Bridget's, Chelvey and St Andrew's, Backwell are involved.

The Five Loaves and Two Fishes Project is run by four nuns who belong to the Community of the Sisters of the Church, an Anglican religious community. Sister Annalies says: "While we are here first as a religious community, we feel it is our calling to respond to local needs."

The scale and depth of needs in inner-city Bristol is immense and has led the sisters to provide community-based support services to local people - irrespective of service users' faith (or none), belief or personal philosophy. From befriending to providing practical support, particularly if people are vulnerable, including those with challenging addictions and sex workers.

Early on, it became clear that many people in the locality were destitute. The sisters started providing food parcels on an ad hoc basis. Now more than 200 food parcels a week are provided to people in the area who are unable to feed themselves.

During Christmas week, numbers rise to 500 and in addition 100 local people come for a Christmas dinner. Recipients include not only substance misusers but also many single parents and younger adults living in insecure housing. Demand for the service has grown in recent years and problems with the benefits system which can leave people without funds are a common cause.

Feedback from service users shows just how vital the service is. One single father says: "If it wasn't for the food I get here every week, I would have to resort to begging."

If your parish runs or supports a foodbank please let us know so we can share the information here.

Please contact David Maggs, Social Justice Adviser, for more information on setting up a foodbank.