Food Bank

May 2020

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Many thanks to all of you who are supporting the Food Bank during this period of much increased demand.

We are very grateful for your donations of food and financial support.

Wendy Pridie

Leominster Food Bank Briefing Note for Parish Councils

Leominster food bank has been running for almost 9 years through volunteers and donations.

It covers Leominster town and since Covid-19 increasingly surrounding villages where a need has been identified.

It usually operates from an outhouse at Leominster Community Centre though currently in the community centre itself.

Contact:

Food bank mobile is 07715 410575 and email address:  leominsterfoodbank@gmail.com 

How does someone get referred?

The food bank works with 24 agencies who hold vouchers such the Job centre, Addaction, Age Concern, Children’s Centre, health Visitors, the Police, doctors and schools. The agencies issue vouchers to people they deem to be in need or people who ask for them. The agencies undertake their own assessments to decide if potential clients are in need of food.

The food bank doesn’t want potential clients self-referring. However, agencies wishing to work with the food bank or anyone wanting to know how the food bank works, need to use the food bank’s mail: leominsterfoodbank@gmail.com 

Then messages will be forwarded to the relevant volunteer.

How does it work?

The system has changed due to the Covid-19. The food bank has issued agencies with virtual vouchers that they can send to clients and to the food bank.

Clients do not choose what they get, the food has been pre-packed into bags which is expected to last at least 3 days. Vouchers were then brought by clients to twice weekly sessions on Tuesdays and Fridays, 11am-12noon.

When they attend a session, clients are given the correct number of bags for their family and given the choice of extras such as fresh produce, potatoes, bread, toiletries and cleaning products, etc. These are not guaranteed but offered when available.

The food bank also delivers to those who are isolating.

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Angela Ellis