Customers at the Tesco Superstore in Taunton got into the festive spirit by donating a fantastic 1320kg of food to people in need this Christmas. This is enough to provide food for 40 families for three or more days. Food raised by Taunton Tesco Superstore will now be distributed to those in need by the Taunton Foodbank.

The store was just one of nearly 900 Tesco stores up and down the country taking part in “Help Feed People In Need”, the largest ever food collection in the UK. The retailer joined forces with Foodbanks charity, the Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity FareShare to collect 1,000 tonnes of food, the equivalent of more than two million meals.

Shoppers at Taunton Tesco Superstore donated a wide range of food items, with the most popular items proving to be cans of soup and tinned tomatoes. Many customers even used the opportunity to bring some festive cheer to the appeal by buying Christmas items such as mince pies and Christmas puddings.

Foodbank volunteer Keith Whittaker said “We were absolutely blown away by the generosity of shoppers at Tesco over the weekend. People were extremely generous! We are seeing a huge demand at Taunton Foodbank so the 1320kg of food donated by Tesco customers could not have come at a better time. Taunton Foodbank would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated food, Christmas is looking a little brighter for families in crisis as a result.”

A representative from Tesco said: “We’re delighted the people of Taunton have come out to support this vital cause. We’ve been overwhelmed by customers generosity and hopefully the food collected this weekend will go some way to help people less fortunate this Christmas. Thank you so much for all the support.”

Chris Mould, Executive Chairman of the Trussell trust said: “As cold weather sets in and energy bills start to bite, more people are turning to foodbanks because they cannot afford both food and heating. Thanks to incredible public generosity at Tesco stores last weekend, foodbanks will be able to provide emergency food and festive treats to more families who are struggling to afford food this Christmas. At a time when budgets are stretched more than ever, it's heart-warming to see so many communities working together to stop people going hungry. We're truly staggered by the public response - it will transform Christmas for many. Thank you.”

Tesco has topped up donations by 30% and will also be providing extra funding for each of the charities to help them carry out more work in communities up and down the UK.

The food parcels are given to people who have received a numbered and signed voucher from a professional that they are likely to come into contact with, such as a health worker, social worker, staff working in education or someone else who knows there is a need. The voucher can then be redeemed for a food parcel, which lasts for three days or more.

People receive the food parcels because of a sudden change in their situations. Examples include people who have not been able to pay for food because of a seriously illness and do not have enough income to support themselves, not been able to replace food because their freezer broke, or because of an unexpected change in benefit payments. The food parcel helps people to get back on track and gives time for a longer term solution to be found.

Taunton Foodbank is part of an initiative by Taunton Christians Together and Somerset West Businesses Against Crime “Back on TRACK” programme” and sponsored by Taunton United Reform Church.

For more information e-mail info@taunton.foodbank.org.uk phone 07761 624 216 or visit our website at www.taunton.foodbank.org.uk 

Please don’t come direct to us, that’s not how we work…..

If you need help please go to one of the many agencies in our area that are in place to help the general public.

For instance;

If you’re a family with under 5’s the best place for you to access help for your family is your local Children’s Centre or your Health Visitor

If you have children in school the school’s welfare officer or the Parent and Family support team may be able to help

If you’re struggling to pay the rent or mortgage; please contact your local housing department, your housing association or the Citizens Advice Bureau

If you have debt issues, try your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau

If you are having problems claiming benefits, your first port of call could be the Job Centre or again the Citizens Advice Bureau

We hope this is of some help and hope to you.

DON’T FORGET; You’ll need a voucher to access Taunton Foodbank:

you’ll only get one if the project/community group/agency thinks it will help WHILE YOU’RE ENGAGED WITH THEM, trying to solve the problems that led to you needing their help in the first place.

We know it sounds a bit harsh but we don’t operate a ‘soup kitchen’, so you’ll need a voucher.

Not only will you be able to access help through these agencies but if they think it will help they may issue you with a voucher for the Food Bank.

If an agency you work for or works with you does not hold vouchers please ask them to contact us and we’ll see if they can be part of Foodbank.

September Volunteer News

August seems to have flown past and it is hard to believe that the Foodbank has now been up and running for more than 6 weeks. It has been an exciting time for all involved with the project and so worthwhile. People who have needed to come to us for food have been so grateful for the help they have received and many front-line agencies have contacted us asking how they can refer those in need of food. It is still very early days but we are gradually reaching out into the community and becoming known. Thank you all for your help, support and prayers for this work.

Food Stocks

We are beginning to get an idea of how much food is needed to keep the Foodbank going. We have collected over 3½ tonnes of food since June when we began our collections and distributed almost ¾ of a tonne in the 6 weeks since we opened.

As we become established we could easily be distributing a tonne of food each month and we see how wise it was of the Trussell Trust to advise us to have adequate stocks before we opened. Churches, local businesses, voluntary organisations and community groups are all contributing food and whenever the Distribution Centre is open members of the public pop-in with bags of food. We have another Supermarket collection planned for October.

The Warehouse

There has been a lot of work done at the warehouse this month including putting up a second set of shelves again kindly donated by Oakwood Church. At last we have been able to establish a good system for storing food in date order etc. and we know so much more now than we did a couple of months ago about how much space we need. That will be very helpful as we search for alternative facilities. We have to leave our present accommodation at the end of November.

We need to find a warehouse for the Foodbank that can store at least 3 tonnes of food - 800-1,000 sq ft. If you have any ideas please let us know as soon as possible and please also join us in prayer for this.

Food distribution

The Distribution Centre at the United Reformed Church in Paul Street has continued to open on Tuesdays (2.00 pm – 4.00 pm) and Fridays (12.00 noon -2.00 pm). Some days, particularly in the first few weeks, were very quiet with few clients but in the last couple of weeks we have been averaging around 5 clients per session.

It has been a real privilege to be part of the team at the distribution centre and witness the gratitude of those who have come for help. If there was ever any doubt that Taunton needs a Foodbank those doubts have been dispelled in the last 6 weeks. We have now fed 54 adults and 16 children.

In conclusion

I guess none of the initial steering group had any idea when they first met at the beginning of January quite how much work would be involved in setting up the Taunton Foodbank. We have been so grateful to all the volunteers who have made it possible but each week there seems to be another new task. A number of groups and organisations have approached us asking for materials for displays to help promote the foodbank. Again if this is something you could do please contact us.

Pam Walker and Helen Wallace

Foodbank Managers

Businesses in Taunton have been instrumental in helping to start a Foodbank in Taunton so that food parcels will be provided to those who are in need.

The Foodbank in Taunton is one of more than 200 in the UK that aim to provide Nutritionally balanced emergency food parcels for local people in crisis. These food parcels will be provided to those who are in need, on the receipt of a voucher which has been issued by a front line agency.

Pam Walker, Project Manager for Taunton Foodbank said “We have continued to see a need for the Foodbank in Taunton as people continue to be made redundant, see a sudden change in their circumstances or receive unexpected bills from the winter period. Often this results in people having no money available to buy food for themselves or their families. People in need will be given a numbered and signed voucher from a professional that they are likely to come into contact with such as a health worker, social worker, staff working in education or someone else who knows there is a need”.

However the Foodbank could not have started without the help and support of local businesses that have offered shelving, storage facilities, grants and time so that their staff can take an active part in this initiative.

Pam added “We have been supported by a local business and it has been amazing to see the generosity of people and businesses at a time of financial challenges. However these donors understand that there is a desperate need for the Foodbank”.

“There is evidence that in times of financial difficulty, like those we are currently facing, there is a rise in theft of food from shops and supermarkets or people just go hungry for several days. The Foodbank gives food for three days, which helps people to get back on track and gives time for a longer term solution to be found. However it is important to stress that this is not a service for the homeless as there is already provision for this”.

Andy Sharman, Scheme Co-ordinator for Somerset West Businesses Against Crime had the initial idea to start the Foodbank because he saw a rise in thefts from shops. Andy has been working with |members of Taunton Christians Together to get the Foodbank off the ground as part of the “Back on TRACK” programme.

Andy said “We are pleased that one of our members, ASDA, has given Foodbank their support. We hope their involvement will lead to other businesses showing their support by allowing collections at their premises or encouraging their staff to get involved by volunteering for Foodbank. This vital service is a great initiative and we are one step closer to being able to support vulnerable people in our community”.

The Foodbank was able to collect half a tone of food during a day’s collection at Asda supermarket on 26 May but needs another two tones before it can open its doors. The distribution centre for the Foodbank will be at the United Reformed Church, Paul Street, Taunton for two hours a day once or twice a week depending on the amount of food collected and number of volunteers available.

Andy added “The Foodbank is a win-win situation. Businesses and local community working in partnership to provide support to individuals and families so they can meet their basic needs for a few days. In other areas this has helped to change the course of people’s lives as it helps vulnerable people at a time of need”.

The Foodbank needs more volunteers, additional shelving and grants or donations to support its work as well as other food stores to participate. As the Foodbank is run by volunteers virtually all of the money received goes straight to those in need.

The Foodbank is a franchise of the Trussell Trust, which runs Foodbanks throughout the country.

If you would like to be a volunteer or support Taunton Foodbank, please contact Pam Walker, the Foodbank Manager on 07761 624 216 or e-mail fbank_volunteers@btinternet.com

Of 2000 mothers surveyed by Netmums recently, 1 in 5 regularly go without meals to feed their children, 16% are being treated for stress-related illnesses and one third are borrowing money from friends and family to stay afloat. Most mothers stated that their situation is worse than a year ago with less money coming in.     

Foodbanks meet mums in desperate situations every week. This week foodbank mum Donna was almost in tears as she told me that she couldn't afford birthday presents to give to her twins who will be 13 on Sunday. She said that her sons had asked to have a friend come to stay to celebrate their birthday but she hasn't said yes because she's not sure they can afford the extra food. Donna used to work in a school for children with Aspergers and Autism but is currently off work due to depression - which has been exacerbated by the family's financial worries. Her partner was recently made redundant and they are currently living on £38 per week due to mistakes with their benefits. This is the reality behind the statistics. Donna says she will be 'eternally grateful' for their foodbox. Without it she says she would have gone without food and had to try to scrape together enough money to give the children something, even just bread and butter. The family are keen to get back into work, that's the hope that keeps them going.

You may know him for his roles in Love Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean, but actor Bill Nighy is a keen campaigner on social justice. As one of the voices of the Robin Hood Tax campaign, Bill wanted to find out more about UK poverty and Oxfam suggested that he visit a Trussell Trust foodbank!

Recently, we took Bill to Hammersmith and Fulham foodbank where he met foodbank clients, heard their stories and even packed a foodbox himself. At the end of his visit we asked Bill what he thought, he told us: 'It's very moving to come here in modern times to see a room incredibly well stocked with donated food for people who, through no fault of their own, have dropped through the cracks. The fact that the people here volunteer to help is both touching and exemplary. I salute all those involved.'

Watch Guardian online's film of Bill's visit

Following the closure of three local companies, Okehampton foodbank has seen numbers needing emergency food soar from 20 to 200 per week.  Unemployment in the Devon town has risen from 2% to nearly 12% leaving many former employees with no choice but to rely on food parcels from Okehampton foodbank until redundancy packages and benefit payments come through. 

The plight of the people in Okehampton and surge in numbers turning to the foodbank has been widely reported by the national media.  Whilst local people have rallied to provide extra food to meet the demand, the foodbank is still under pressure. Okehampton foodbank's Andrew Morgan told the Guardian, "We are still appealing for food, it is desperately needed: some staff made redundant hadn't been paid for weeks. There really are people with no money and they really can't afford to put food on the table."

Adrian and Kay Vernon were both made redundant from Polestar foods, Okehampton, and suddenly left with no money.  With a four-year-old daughter to feed, Adrian told the BBC that his foodbox was 'a lifesaver'.

Unemployment nationwide is at a 17-year high and foodbanks across the country are experiencing huge demand.  This year the UK foodbank network estimates it has fed 60,000 people; an increase of nearly 20,000 people from the previous year.