26th October 2020 Update and thanks
Dear Foodbank Supporters and Donors,
With your generous ongoing help and support, since our last update on 26th September, we have distributed food to 329 people, (which has included 115 children).
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS
Thank you to all our volunteers, both those running the two sessions each week at each of our four centres, and to those working at the warehouse.
LATEST DATA available as at 23rd October
| Number of people fed since last update on 26/09/20 | 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 |
|
329 which included 115 children |
2027 which included 689 children |
2171 which included 752 children |
32537 which included 12033 children |
2361.9kgs (5196.1lbs: 46.40cwt: 2.32 tons |
3614.7kgs (7952.3lbs: 71.0cwt: 3.55 tons) |
1.23 tons more distributed than donated
|
CAN YOU HELP – WE REALLY NEED A VAN
Up till now we have managed deliveries of large numbers of crates of food to our four centres with the very generous help and support of volunteers, who have kindly used their large cars or SUV’s, and more recently smaller cars.
We really need to have the use of a small van, as we are finding it increasingly difficult to fit crates into smaller cars, and volunteers are having to make multiple journeys, to safely transport food.
We wonder if anyone has a small van which may be surplus to current requirements, which Nuneaton Foodbank could loan for two or three days a week. The cost of hiring a van is prohibitive.
Alternatively, it may be that you have contacts or connections with a company, or a garage, that might consider sponsoring a small van for Nuneaton Foodbank.
If you are able to help us with this, please could you email us on [email protected]
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 and The Coop.
We are very grateful to individual donors who are bringing donations to the Foodbank warehouse, where they can 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.
THANK YOU
We would like to say thank you to a number of organisations and churches for their recent financial donations. A very big ‘Thank You’ to:- The Rotary Club of Arbury for a further generous donation; to Nuneaton Methodist Church; to Corley and Fillongley Church; to Astley PCC; to St John’s Wolvey PCC; to Nuneaton United Reform Church; to Countryside Properties; and to The Rotary Club of Nuneaton for an additional donation. We have also had a number of personal donations which are also greatly appreciated. We are very grateful indeed for this support. We have been alerted to further donations that are ‘on their way’ from churches and organsations, and we will let you know about these in our next update.
At the moment we are in need of some very specific food items and toiletries, and financial donations such as these, are enabling us to purchase these types of items.
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 your support are greatly appreciated
Our key message still is please, please could you continue to donate items from the ‘Shopping list’ shown below, in the ways that you are doing – both at local supermarkets, through church and organisational collections, and through individual donations.
SHOPPING LIST OF ITEMS WE ARE IN NEED OF:-
We know that people like to know what we are particularly in need of when they are thinking of donating, and at the moment would be really grateful for:–
Instant Mash; Tinned Carrots; Sponge puddings; Treats for children; Crisps; Savoury Snacks; Tomato Ketchup; Cuppa Soups
Soap; Male and Female Deodorant; Shaving Gel/Foam; Toothpaste; Shampoo; Shower Gel; Sanitary Products; Nappies (Size 5+6)
Washing powder; Washing-up Liquid; Tin Openers
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
Christmas Items
We have started to collect Christmas items. This may seem very early, but in order to get our Christmas parcels for families ready in time to get out in the period running up to Christmas, we need items much earlier than usual.
This is because we can only have limited numbers of volunteers in the warehouse for ‘safe distancing’ reasons. In order to ensure we can get the Christmas food parcels for families ready, and also Christmas items out to the four centres for inclusion in the bags we prepare for day to day distribution, we MUST start much earlier this year.
Although many people in the past have kindly donated in the week or two before Christmas, this will unfortunately be too late for us to manage due to current safety restrictions.
At the moment we need:-
Christmas Cake Slab Blocks; Tinned Ham; Tinned Custard; Chicken Gravy Granules; Tinned fruit; Jelly; Variety Packs of Crisps; Angel Delight; Fruit Juice; Small Jars of Coffee
We don’t need Mince Pies yet thank you, as we need these later on, as the ‘use by’ date is too early at the moment.
HOW CAN YOU CONTINUE TO HELP?
Where it is possible, people are donating in our local supermarkets such as ASDA, Sainsburys and The Coop, and we are really grateful for this ongoing support.
Many people continue to contact us to ask if they can make financial donations, as they are unable to get out to shop. We are pleased to let you know that we are able to receive donations through the ‘Donate’ button on our website.
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 are tremendously grateful for the very encouraging response from many members of the local community and organisations via this link on our Nuneaton Foodbank website.
Gift Aid really has made a difference
We would like to acknowledge and sincerely thank the growing number of people who are donating financially to the Foodbank on a regular basis. Many donors are using the HMRC scheme called ‘Gift Aid’ to increase their donations by 25p for every £1 they donate.
Copies of the Gift Aid form can be found on the Nuneaton Foodbank website.
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; YORKSHIRE BANK; DUNELM MILL.
Again many thanks to you all for your ongoing generous support
Kind regards,
David