As you will now know we are collecting donations for our food bank campaign for the second year in a row.
Here is a little back story on each of them, so you can understand what’s behind their cause.
Purley Food Hub
Purley Food Hub is a food bank that helps local people in crisis who are without food. It was set up in January 2013 by the 12 churches that then made up Churches Together in Purley & Kenley. They became a registered charity with elected Trustees in July 2013. Clients are referred to them by a network of around 130 Food Ticket Partners. These are agencies and professionals across the Croydon borough who work closely with people in crisis. They include Jobcentres, teams and departments of Croydon Council, hostels and refugees, children’s centres and schools, and a wide range of voluntary organisations.
They are run entirely by volunteers – with currently around 150 people from the churches and local community. Food is donated by local churches, schools, businesses, uniformed groups, community organisations like the Rotary Club and Women’s Institute and many families and individuals.
A time of crisis can happen to anyone, at any time. Purley Food Hub exists to help local people in crisis who are without food. Their clients may have become unemployed, are suffering from health problems, or have had a sudden unexpected change in their circumstances, they may have had their benefits stopped. Whatever the reason, they are unable to buy sufficient food for their basic needs.
Head over to their website to find out what they are currently in need of and find out a little more about the amazing work they do.
Redhill Food Bank
St Matthew’s food bank Redhill aims to provide local families and individuals with essential food supplies to keep them going until a longer-term solution is found for anyone living in Redhill or the immediate neighbourhood. They also provide help by topping up gas and electricity cards so that people can stay warm and cook food. They understand that things can go wrong for any one of us, at any time. They are there purely to lend a hand by providing non-perishable food parcels to tie people over until circumstances improve.
They have a current list of things needed for donation, if you head over to their website, you will be able to find out more.
East Grinstead Food Bank
The team behind the food bank at in East Grinstead, don’t think anyone in their community should have to face going hungry. That’s why they provide three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to them in crisis. They are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK. They support local individuals and families in crisis who cannot afford to put food on the table, referred to them by local agencies, (such as children & family centres, local primary and secondary schools, churches, hospitals, Citizens Advice, GP surgeries, in fact over 50 agencies can refer clients).
Since starting with a few food boxes in a garage in East Grinstead in December 2012, they have now assisted over 9,000 people, averaging over 30 adults & children helped per week.
In addition to giving clients food and household items sufficient for at least 3 days in exchange for a red voucher, they also talk to clients and try to understand their needs and situation and where appropriate, look to ‘signpost’ them to other groups, such as Citizens Advice, CAP, or the ‘Tasty Team’ who may also be able to assist.
Read on their website about some of the incredible work they have achieved and a helpful shopping list.
Haywards Heath Food Bank
The Trussell Trust supports communities and churches to open foodbanks across the UK. The Haywards Heath foodbank is part of The Trussell Trust’s network of 428 foodbanks, working to tackle food poverty and hunger in our local communities, as well as across the UK.
The Foodbank Network was founded in 2004 after four years of developing the original foodbank based in Salisbury. Since then, The Trussell Trust has helped communities work together to launch foodbanks nationwide in a wide range of towns and cities. In 2020/21, The Trussell Trust’s Foodbank Network provided 2,537,198 three-day emergency food supplies and support to UK people in crisis. Of these, 980,082 went to children. As a network, they want to see more people helped out of crisis and fewer people needing foodbanks in the future. That’s why The Trussell Trust and local foodbanks are working together to develop new ways to help people out of crisis through programmes like More Than Food.
Please read up on their website on how you can help us to help them.
Thank you again for your continued support with something that is very important to us and thousands of people in need. If you would like to get involved just click here for more details.