Dear friends,
Things have been running smoothly at the Foodbank over the last few months. Demand for food parcels is still high and we have given out a total of 5886 meals to people from April to July. This is a 31.1% increase from the same period last year.
As we’re sure you are aware, food poverty remains an increasing problem on a national level. In May, the Trussell Trust published their latest report; ‘The State of Hunger.’ It found that 95% of people referred to foodbanks in 2020 were destitute, meaning that they couldn’t afford the essentials like heating and food. It also found that the average household income for people using foodbanks was only 13% of the national average. They rightly state that this is unacceptable and are campaigning for the UK government to act now to prevent food poverty. You can read more about the report here.
We are so thankful for the community’s generous donation of food items and finances that allow us to continue to help those who need it most. The Yard’s delivery service of fresh vegetables and fruit continues to be gratefully received by clients. There is now a ‘pay-it-forward’ scheme in place for customers of the Yard who would like to buy a box on behalf of our clients. We are so grateful for everyone who has donated or used the scheme. We would also like to thank Wild Bread Bakehouse for their continued donation of ten artisan sourdough loaves each week.
Although July 19th saw ‘Freedom Day’ and the removal of almost all legal restrictions on social contact, Faversham Foodbank remains committed to ensuring the safety of clients and volunteers. We are continuing to ask that face coverings are worn inside the building and that all persons keep to social distancing. We are doing all we can to keep the Foodbank Covid secure, so that we can keep providing our much-needed service to those who need it most.
Lastly, we want to say a massive thank you to all our volunteers. We could not do any of our work without your hard work, enthusiasm, and love for Faversham. If you would like to find out more about volunteering, please email [email protected]. We are also encouraging those who had to pause their volunteering efforts during lockdown to get in touch now that restrictions have eased.
We hope you have all had a wonderful summer!
