BUCKFASTLEIGH FOODBANK NEWS UPDATE - 16th MARCH

Reproduced below is a copy of the Newsletter I received regarding the Buckfastleigh Food Bank.

BUCKFASTLEIGH FOODBANK NEWS UPDATE - 16th MARCH

The Present:

The sad events of the past week at Buckfast Spinning have focused our minds on the possible future needs of our community.  It was always our intention to open a Foodbank, run by the churches and the community in the local area but, we now realise that the launch needs to be brought forward.  This will not be done in a rush but with due regard to the availability of food and a sustainable system for its distribution.  The requirement for immediate help for those families in temporary difficulty has not changed in the past few weeks.  What has changed is the possibility that the numbers might be greater within the next few months.  We thank the Trussell Trust ( www.trusselltrust.org ) for providing us with all the back up to get training, vouchers and supermarkets in place.  To understand the guidelines we shall be following, please visit their web site.  Within the next week or so, we will have our own:  www.buckfastleighfoodbank.org or if you want  to contact us info@buckfastleighfoodbank.org.  Telephone number to be promulgated soon.

Foodbank Successes:

We now have two Buckfastleigh shops with food collection points:  these are the Coop and Huccaby’s so we would wish to thank them both for their generosity.  Also, Morrisons in Totnes have one and we are in negotiation with Newton Abbot supermarkets to have collections in each of their stores soon.  Tesco are particularly supportive and have given us two dates in early July when we will be able to collect for an entire day.  We are hoping to organise date(s) before this.  Watch this space!  St Luke’s Church also has an ‘overflowing’ collection point.  Finally, we must thank the HITS Charity in Newton Abbot for giving us some of their food and, next week, we are expecting Exeter Foodbank to deliver another load of food to us.

Immediate Future:

Next week we have an ‘open to everybody’ session in St Luke’s at 7-15pm  on Wednesday 20^th when the Regional Director of The Trussell Trust will talk to everyone in the town about what a Foodbank is, how it is run and what to expect as we develop (1 hour).  We hope that this will be an opportunity for our community to come and ask questions.

Also, the next day, Thursday 21^st, at 10-00am we will have a training session for about an hour when volunteers will be given some help about how to deliver the service to the clients.  Please sign up in the church for this.  By the way, we need more volunteers so please put your names on the lists available. All skills will be utilised.

Soon After:

We realise that most are now wondering why we are collecting food and have yet to talk about how or when it might be distributed.  We are aiming to have the sustainable method of helping our friends, up and running, within a matter of weeks.