Emergency: 07749 322 291
Email: help@exmouthfoodbank.org.uk
At the beginning of September our off site store cupboard was empty… but now it is nearly full! We would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has given to the Food Bank this Harvest Festival. Our donors included over 30 churches, schools, and businesses in Exmouth and the surrounding community. Together our amazing supporters have donated approximately 3,500 items which have enabled us to fill and distribute 200 food parcels
We were delighted to be supported this year by the East Devon District Council HR Team who used their annual volunteering day to help us collect Harvest Festival donations, date over 1,000 tins and jars and make up 48 Out of Hours emergency parcels. They went back to work exhausted but with a real working knowledge of the Food Bank and other local food providers that we collaborate with.
We recently received a financial donation that enabled us to purchase an upright freezer. The arrival of the freezer conveniently coincided with an offer from Iceland to donate excess stock to us on a regular basis.
Working closely with Steve, the Exmouth store manager, we have been able to select items such as frozen ready meals and vegetables which we can offer to clients to supplement our standard food parcels. This addition has been well received and is also proving useful to people who struggle to cook or who are reliant on carers to prepare easy meals for them.
Each winter the Food Bank sees a 20% rise in people seeking support with food. On average we expect to distribute 90 parcels a week in December. The majority of parcels will be for families with four or more members. This year the 10% increase in the energy price cap, plus the withdrawal of the winter fuel allowance for pensioners, will place a further demand on our services.
If you are thinking of donating to the Food Bank this Christmas we would really appreciate core food items that are needed for our year round parcels as this will help us meet the surge in demand over the festive period and into 2025. We would welcome tins of: soup, tomatoes, baked beans, spaghetti, tuna, stews, meatballs, cold meats, fruits, custard and rice pudding. We would also welcome packets of spaghetti and rice…. as well as a few festive goodies!
Donations will need to be with us by Friday 13 December if they are to be distributed ahead of Christmas.
For more information, including access to a festive poster outlining the items we are seeking, please email: Info@exmouthfoodbank.org.uk or telephone: 07787 758511.
