Emergency: 07749 322 291
Email: help@exmouthfoodbank.org.uk
During the past 6 months our team of trusty volunteers have packed and distributed food parcels to feed over 2,900 people. These numbers are slightly higher when compared to the same period last year and reflect the continuing struggle that people are experiencing as the gap between wages and the cost of living continues. Sometimes hard work alone is not enough to keep hunger at bay.
Many of those who find themselves struggling were just about surviving. However, with no financial reserves to draw on, an unplanned event such as the need to replace a tyre on the car or a large utility bill suddenly means they have no money for food. These are just the people we can support to get back on track, not only by providing them with supplies but by helping them to access benefits or advice on housing and debt.
The Food Bank is run entirely by the community that it serves. On average each month our supporters donate 900 kg of food which is roughly the weight of a large male polar bear – a fantastic achievement, thank you! On top of this organisations such as Exmouth A Capella choir pop in with a range of much needed toiletries for our clients that their members so generously buy.
However, demand for our services continues to outstrip the donations we receive and we are constantly looking for new avenues of support. During the past few months we have been particularly grateful to Shaldon Bakery in Exmouth who donate beautifully baked loaves and rolls to the Food Bank each Tuesday and Friday. In addition, Exmouth Lions Club have bought specific items that we are short of. They have also experimented with running a ‘Food Bank Friday’ collection in a designated area in Exmouth where residents were asked to leave a tin or two of food on their doorsteps. The Lions have even rolled up their sleeves to give all of our food crates a proper spring clean - their enthusiasm is infectious and is much appreciated!
The charity Trussell operates a wide network of food banks across East Devon, Exeter, Plymouth and the South Hams. In June reciprocal visits were carried out between members of Exmouth Food Bank and their Exeter Food Bank. It was helpful to have the opportunity to share practice. We also found it reassuring that many of the challenges we face concerning demand outstripping supply are being experienced in Exeter too and that they have modified the food parcels they provide in a similar way to us.
We picked up some useful ideas for improving the client experience, such as producing an information booklet that outlines precisely what support individuals will receive and for how long, which we hope to implement in the next quarter.
We know that the summer holidays place extra pressure on families trying to feed their children. In preparation we are working collaboratively with the Tesco store on Salterton Road to run a campaign between 20 July and 30 August. We will be seeking donations of cartons of fruit juices, tinned meat such as ham or corned beef, tinned tuna, sandwich spreads, peanut butter and snacks.
Anything you can do to support our campaign will be gratefully received.
