ADDLESTONE FOODBANK PREPARING FOR FEBRUARY LAUNCH
Volunteers are hard at work behind the scenes to ensure a lifeline for families experiencing financial hardship is ready to be launched in Runnymede in February.
The Addlestone Foodbank, which assists local families in Runnymede who are desperately short of food, has already collected one tonne of food but needs to collect two more tonnes to be ready to open.
The project, led by Beacon Church, was recently give a major boost when major multi-national corporation Procter & Gamble donated £3,000. The Foodbank is also backed by other organisations such as the Addlestone Methodist church, Jubilee church in Chertsey as well as Runnymede Borough Council. Schools in the borough have also donated large quantities of food.
Addlestone Foodbank is now asking for people to come forward as volunteers and to make donations of non-perishable goods. Oganiser Samantha Stapley explained:
"People forget that even wealthy counties like Surrey have pockets of deprivation. For people on low incomes, a sudden crisis such as redundancy, benefit delay or an unexpected bill can mean families go hungry. As well as helping people out with food we will also take time to listen and signpost them to further support."
According to government figures one in three children in Addlestone Bourneside are deemed to be living in poverty, whilst Chertsey St Ann's scores 25.5% on the official Index of Multiple Deprivation - compared to a national average of 21.6%.
Volunteers are currently stockpiling soup, pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes, cereals, tea bags, tinned meat and vegetables, jam and baked beans ready for the launch.
Once the Foodbank is up and running vouchers will be issued by staff at the Citizens Advice Bureau, Job Centre Plus, housing department workers at Runnymede Borough Council and other front-line agencies and can exchanged at for three days supply of food from the Foodbank.
Other churches, schools, charities and individuals are being encouraged to come forward and support the scheme with food donations or fundraising support.
All volunteer roles will be for agreed hours and usually no more than three per week as a maximum and for a specific period. These would include:
· Hospitality and befrienders
· Supermarket food collectors
· Drivers
· Fundraisers
For more information on volunteering or on donating food please contact Samantha Stapley on 01932 569474 - or use the Enquire button above.
