7th June 2020 Update and thanks
Dear Foodbank Volunteers, Supporters and Donors,
With your generous ongoing help and support, since the last update on 12th May, we have distributed food to 191 people, (which has included 59 children).
LATEST DATA as at 7th June
| Number of people fed since last update on 12th May | Total Numbers fed from 1st April 2020 | Numbers fed since ‘lockdown’ on 23rd March | Total Numbers fed since launch in 2013 | Food donated since last update | Food distributed since last update |
Difference in amount collected |
|
191 which included 59 children |
777 which included 253 children |
921 which included 316 children |
31287 which included 11597 children |
6804.6kgs (14970.1lbs: 133.66cwt: 6.68 tons) |
1582.1kgs (3480.6lbs: 31.07cwt: 1.55 tons) |
5.13 tons more Donated than distributed
|
The warehouse team, some of whom are new volunteers, have processed 8.3 tons of food since the last update – thank you to all of the team – we are very grateful to all the warehouse volunteers who have come in for additional sessions to help.
CURRENT FOODSTOCK SITUATION
As you can see from the above chart, over 5 tons more food has been donated than distributed since the last update. Although the ‘headline’ totals look as if we are well supplied across all food types – this is not the case, and we are still having to purchase items locally in order to make up food parcels.
The reason for this is that TESCO – in order to support Foodbanks throughout the country during the Covid 19 crisis, have been delivering large quantities of food, without charge, to foodbanks.
Nuneaton Foodbank has gratefully received 6.26 tons of food from TESCO since this initiative began, and this has really helped us. However, because this is such a large project for TESCO to organise, foodbanks have absolutely no control over what food is being sent to them, and despite these deliveries, for which we are extremely grateful, we still have significant shortfalls in a number of essential items which we need to make up food parcels.
The key message is, please, please could you continue to donate food items from the ‘Shopping list’ on this update, in the ways that you are doing – both at local supermarkets, through church and organisational collections, and through individual donations.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS
Since 23rd March, our four centres have all been operational for each planned session, mainly due to the invaluable support of new volunteers, who have been working under the direction of our Centre Leaders or members of their teams, many of whom are providing this support from home, as they are restricted from being present in person .We are indebted to these new volunteers, who are ensuring that we are able to help the many people in real need in the Nuneaton Community.
FOOD DONATIONS
Due to the current restrictions, most of our regular donation points in churches, chapels and organisations are no longer able to operate, and we are dependent on donations at supermarkets such as ASDA, Sainsburys, The Coop and Lidl. We are very grateful to individual donors who are bringing donations to the Foodbank warehouse, where they leave the donations outside the warehouse, and alert the warehouse team by knocking on the door, and then moving back two metres, so that safe distancing is ensured.
HOW CAN YOU CONTINUE TO HELP
Where it has been possible, people are donating in our local supermarkets, and we are really grateful for this ongoing support. Many people have been contacting us to ask if they can make financial donations, as they are unable to get out to shop.
On our website www.nuneaton.foodbank.org.uk we have on the GIVE HELP section, under the DONATE MONEY section – ONE OFF GIFTS – a ‘button’ which allows you to donate directly to Nuneaton Foodbank.
We have continued to receive a very encouraging response from many members of the local community and organisations via the Nuneaton Foodbank website
SHOPPING LIST OF ITEMS WE ARE NEED OF:-
We know that people like to know what we are particularly in need of when they are thinking of donating food, and at the moment we NEED and would be really grateful for:–
Instant Mashed Potato; Tinned Potatoes; Tinned Carrots; Sponge Puddings; Pot Noodles; Small jars of Coffee
If this situation changes, we will update the ‘Donate Food’ section of our website – which is www.nuneaton.foodbank.org.uk – click on the ‘Donate Food’ button
A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO DONATES
We would like to thank everyone who donates to the foodbank in whatever way – your help and support is greatly needed and appreciated.
We are extremely grateful to the following organisations, foundations, and churches and for their generous financial support in this time of crisis:-
We have had a further generous donations from The Rotary Club of Arbury, from Nuneaton Methodist Church and from Piero Lounge. We have received a very helpful grant which has been enabled by a number of Warwickshire County Councillors.
We have also received very helpful donations from The Sikh Mission Resource Centre in Nuneaton, and from Youth With A Mission (YWAM)
We are pleased to let you know that we are receiving donations from individuals through the ‘Donate’ button on our website. Details of how to donate are above the ‘Shopping list’
Food donations
We would like to thank TESCO, the ASDA Community Fund, MORRISONS, MIDCOUNTIES COOP and EDIBLELINKS for their extremely helpful donations of food.
THANK YOU SO MUCH WOLVEY VILLAGE AND WOLVEY STORES
Members of the community and their friends in Wolvey Village set up a Community Plant Stall a few weeks ago, kindly hosted by Wolvey Stores.
Villagers and friends who had ‘spare’ plants very kindly brought them with them when they were food shopping at Wolvey Stores and put them on the Community Plant Stall. Other shoppers then made a donation for the plants they picked up, and this was all in aid of Nuneaton Foodbank.
Altogether an amazing £830 was raised for Nuneaton Foodbank. Thank you again Wolvey Community, Wolvey Stores, and Pauline Russell who enabled this brilliant fundraising initiative.
THANK YOU WILLIAM, GEORGINA AND OLIVIA
Thank you to William, Georgina and Olivia, the grandchildren of a member of our team of volunteers at Manor Court Baptist Church, who put up a placard in the garden of their house, inviting donations of food for Nuneaton Foodbank. The first photograph shows the children with the placard, and the second photograph shows them with some of the food that friends and neighbours kindly donated. This was the children’s own idea, and they were delighted that people put donations into the box in their garden.
Thank you again for this lovely idea William, Georgina and Olivia. We are trying to send out acknowledgements for donations as soon as we can, but there may be some delay as we respond to the many requests for help from the Nuneaton Community.
If you are aware of friends or relatives that might wish to support the work of the foodbank in helping families in need in the local Nuneaton community, and who want to know where they can make food donations, the following places kindly have collection points:-
ASDA; SAINSBURYS; ATTLEBOROUGH CO-OP; BULKINGTON CO-OP; GALLEY COMMON CO-OP; LIDL; YORKSHIRE BANK.
Again many thanks to you all for your ongoing generous support
Kind regards,
David