Summary of the Food Bank activities in 2021.
Our location
- We moved to the Wickham Community Centre in May of last year. The facility we now have is amazing with three large cupboards to store our food supplies. Gone are the days of moving food between the youth hall, a spare office in the old NHS hut and a container
- We now operate on two days per week – Monday morning for receiving and sorting food donations and Tuesday for distributing food to our clients
- The staff at the Wickham Centre have been incredibly welcoming and supportive. The presence of a food bank clearly fits with what they want to do for the community
Donations
- Food donations continue to come in at a high level, often from unexpected sources
- The Christmas period was incredible with huge amounts of food being donated often taking us two days to sort and mark up
Finance
- Our cash position remains strong which has enabled us to buy pieces of equipment as we have needed them and to top up our food supplies when we have been short of particular, fast-moving items
- We have a significant number of regular cash donors plus individuals who generously give one-off gifts
Clients
- In 2021 we provided food for just over 1,500 people of whom 523 were children. That was a slight increase on the previous year
- On the Tuesday before Christmas, we provided food for 93 people – an unwanted record. That was a huge logistical problem when you bear in mind that we supply each individual with 7 days’ worth of food
- Bishops Waltham Rotary Club deserve special mention as for many months they have provided us with a driver to undertake our home deliveries
Helping others
- We have been able to support The Big Difference which is the food distribution project of Above Bar Church in Southampton, Christmas Complete which provides toys at Christmas to families throughout Hampshire and nearer to home the Meon Valley Baby Bank who support families with children under four
Volunteers
- Our volunteer team remains strong and committed
- We are considering the appointment of an “office manager” to spread the increasing administrative burden. Ideally, we would like someone to be available for between 4 and 6 hours per week. 2 of those hours would need to be on a Tuesday morning. Please contact us if this role might be of interest to you
The future
- We are reviewing the possibility of establishing a debt support centre under the auspices of Christians Against Poverty, a highly regarded national organisation. Initial discussions are under way to see if this can become a reality
- We are hoping, as Covid continues to recede, to be able to invite our clients in for a cup of tea and a chat as we always did when based at Bishops Waltham