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FOODBANKS - HOW THEY WORK & HOW YOU CAN HELP by KATE SMITH
A lot has changed in the two years since March 2020: from working at home to watching our world alter from a television screen, it’s clear that everyone has been affected by these unpredictable events. However, some have felt the hit harder than others: with the introduction of a pandemic placing pressure on us all, families already struggling needed extra support to cope with the new restrictions and repercussions. This was and continues to be a real issue. This issue concerned many across the community, including our local schools and churches who worked together to provide support for children and their families affected by the situation through their co-creation of Hayes Community Foodbank (HCF), an organisation recently celebrating two years of operation. With help from community donations and volunteers sorting and delivering parcels, as well as the generosity of Hayes Free Church where HCF now operates, their efforts have resulted in over 30 families, each ranging from one to ten individuals, receiving essential items weekly. The foodbank works as well as it does thanks to its regular volunteers like Catherine Wilding, who lend a helping hand every week to create packages of what each recipient needs most, ready for delivery every Friday morning. When asked why she wanted to help, she says: “I was looking for ways in which to offer some practical support to those who needed it during an incredibly challenging time.” Packing for 30-plus families a week, the organisation relies on regular contributions due to sheer demand. Initially, while some items that are regularly needed such as long-life milk and nappies could be donated, there was a clear shortage of produce with a shorter shelf life. This issue was soon overcome through a partnership with Fareshare, which donates around 900kg of fresh produce each week
The weekly donations ready for delivery - sent by Foodbank Co-Founder Darren Street
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Hayes Free Church on the day of the Foodbank’s two-year anniversary
to foodbanks across Bromley, and the generosity of local businesses such as Sponge Kitchens in Hayes, which donates bread and baked goods to HCF. All this means there have been over 3,000 deliveries to date. Despite the name, it isn’t just food that HCF is involved in distributing: cleaning products, toiletries and other essentials like toilet paper are gratefully accepted. In fact, volunteers often pack specific items where possible: ”People are welcome to request a particular item such as cooking oil or hot chocolate, and if we have it, we will add it to their delivery. Equally, they can say if they do not need or want a particular item, which helps to avoid food waste,” Catherine explains. Although around 140 individuals are helped by the deliveries, not everyone requests a delivery every week and no two parcels are the same. Recently, help has extended even further, with the foodbank team being able to signpost families to organisations through which emotional and financial support can be accessed. 1st Hayes Rangers, part of Girlguiding UK, has also become involved by sorting donations every week, sourcing contents for Christmas and Mother’s Day gift bags and holding donation drives in Hayes in all weathers - proving themselves an invaluable part of the team. It’s certainly not going unnoticed, either: the foodbank is part of the Transform Bromley Borough Food Partnership, which was presented a London Faith and Belief Award in December 2021 for its charitable actions. But they’re not done yet: the foodbank has expressed interest in becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation - also known as a CIO - that will allow it to have even more of an impact on local people. Growing from a selfless idea to a single classroom of school donations to a borough-wide organisation, Hayes Community Foodbank is proof that a little really can go a long way!
If you are interested in giving back to your community, donations are always happily accepted at certain local supermarkets across the Bromley borough, helping many organisations like Hayes Community Foodbank, which also welcomes donations from the public at Hayes Free Church on Thursdays, 4pm-5:30pm, and Fridays, 9am-10:30am. As well as physical contributions, donating your time can be just as helpful: you can find out more about volunteering for a foodbank near you by contacting your local foodbank directly; details can be found on the London Borough of Bromley website at https://bit.ly/bromleyfoodbanks
May 2022 Life in... Orpington 27
