What’s Going on at the Food Bank?

First and foremost, I want to thank all our volunteers and wider supporters from across the town for the fantastic efforts over the years. Its always hard to take the next step, but we feel that with your continued support we can; so what is going on?

We are swapping completely from our current delivery of food boxes to people’s homes in favour of a collection model, enabling greater ‘face time’ with our neighbours who use the food bank.  We aim to provide a warm, welcoming space in which individuals can feel less isolated and share their own journeys and offer mutual support.  We will provide the opportunity for interaction with trained befrienders, other volunteers and support and advice services.  There will also be internet access for on-line DWP accounts, utility accounts, job search etc.

This ‘Food and Community Hub‘ will enable more immediate referral to other Hope for Belper projects, as well as signposting to other external help, based on an individual’s circumstances.  One of the biggest reasons for the change, is to come alongside and support those who find themselves regularly turning to the food bank and perhaps in some cases feeling overly dependent on it.

We will have the use of a kitchen for tea & coffee and light refreshments, and in the not too distant future we are looking to augment our CAP Life Skills course, through extra cooking on a budget sessions.

We will be moving on the weekend of the 2^nd/3^rd March and it will be all hands on deck!  But right now its planning, planning, planning and if you want more information you can email us at hopeforbelper@gmail.com

Finally, over the ten years the food bank has been running, we have not specifically asked the community for money, although many have given money as well as donations of food, but if you would like to contribute to this big change you can use the DONATE button at the top of our Facebook page.

Many Thanks again for all your support, and we will continue to try and update everyone as to how the transformation is going and anything else you can do to help.

Gareth Greenwood – Chair