New charity 'Rochdale Foodbank'

New charity 'Rochdale Foodbank'

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A new charity “Rochdale Foodbank” is being launched led by members of The Well Community Church, supported by the Vicar of Rochdale, and the Area Dean, along with other Rochdale folks, which will be offering emergency food supplies to people in Rochdale who find themselves in need.

Although “Rochdale Foodbank” is a Christian charity, it is for the benefit of the whole community, and will only work with the cooperation and support of the whole community; either in supplying items of non-perishable, nutritious food, or in referring situations to it through professional agencies such as Social Services, schools, GP surgeries, churches, etc.

Every day people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. Trussell Trust foodbanks provide a minimum of three days emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis in the UK.

In 2011-12 foodbanks fed 128,687 people nationwide, 100% more than the previous year. Rising costs of food and fuel combined with static income, high unemployment and changes to benefits are causing more and more people to come to foodbanks for help.

The Trussell Trust partners with churches and communities to open new foodbanks nationwide. With over 200 foodbanks currently launched, our goal is for every town to have one.

Foodbanks help prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems. A simple box of food makes a big difference.

All food is donated by the public and sorted by volunteers. Frontline care professionals such as doctors and social workers identify people in crisis and issue a food voucher. Clients receive three days of nutritionally balanced, non-perishable food in exchange for their food voucher. Foodbanks also make time to chat and to signpost clients to other helpful services.

The launch event is on Wednesday 25 July at 2.00pm, at St Mary-in-the-Baum Church (next door to Toad Hill Museum), Rochdale where there be volunteer forms available to help with collecting food, fund-raising, stock control, admin, etc.

The event will chiefly be a short presentation by Lynda Batterbee, Network Development Officer of The Trussell Trust, who are providing all the infrastructure for “Rochdale Foodbank”, and who have established 235 of these Foodbanks in England and Wales in the last 2 years.

Contact Iain or Margaret Wight on 07956 337674 or office@wights.co.uk for more information.