Thank you to our community and volunteers for everything you have done this past year with your commitment to the foodbank. As always, it has been a busy year with lots going on.
During 2023 together we have supported 5,279 people including 1,452 children with emergency food. This number has increased by 29% from the previous year and includes approximately 600 households who visited the foodbank for the first time.
We have collected and sorted approximately 65,000kgs of food, ensuring we had enough to help all those who needed it.
Just a few highlights from 2023 to share with you:
- Trussell Trust Funded support from Citizens Advice and Clean Slate – we are delighted to report that our Financial Inclusion Project funded by Trussell Trust is up and running!
This project is to ensure that people visiting Bath Foodbank centres are able to access support and advice, and help them towards no longer needing emergency food support.
- CitizensAdvice – advisor providing in-person support during the majority of our foodbank sessions.
- Online referrals to Citizens Advice which provides fast-tracked support.
- CleanSlate support worker providing in-person support during two of our weekly foodbank sessions
- Online referrals to Clean Slate which provides fast-tracked support.
We also have volunteers from The Samaritans attend some of our Manvers Street sessions.
In addition to this we offer referrals to other support services, all of which we hope will lead to a positive outcome for our clients.
- Summer school holiday activity vouchers – we fundraised and provided a very welcome treat of a trip to the leisure centre for all families needing to access the foodbank throughout the school summer holidays. This allowed families to have an afternoon out together enjoying trampolining, swimming, or bowling.
For many having a summer holiday or even just a day out is not within their means, so this very welcome gift was really appreciated. - Warm Kit – again this winter (supported with specific funding) we purchased items to help people manage the colder weather, providing those who need it with items such as fleece blankets, hot water bottles, thermos flasks, thermal socks, hats, and gloves amongst other useful items.
During recent months we have seen more people coming to the foodbank who are sleeping rough, insecurely housed, or living on boats – these can be the most difficult months and these essential items for some can make a real difference. - Christmas Toy Vouchers – this year for the fourth year we again fundraised to purchase toy vouchers for The Entertainer Toy Store. We gave a voucher to the value of £25 for every child of all families needing to use the foodbank during the run up to Christmas. Thanks to the generosity of those contributing and the additional vouchers gifted by The Entertainer we gave 260 vouchers – no child missed out!
This will have helped ensure that every child of a family needing our support will have had something under the tree at Christmas, bringing joy to children and relief to the parents and guardians.
- Bookbank – our gift of a new book to all children and adults who visit our centres has been extremely popular, with most people enjoying browsing the shelves and choosing a book for themselves or their children.
Thanks to funding from Taste of Bath we were able to buy heavily discounted books from Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights.
We also received lovely new book donations from some schools and individuals enabling us to keep the Bookbank well stocked for all to enjoy!
Prior to Christmas we were delighted to receive a huge amount of gorgeous children’s Christmas books from the library ‘Gift a Book’ appeal.
- Deliveries to vulnerable people – our delivery service is providing a vital service to very vulnerable people, who cannot leave the house for medical reasons.
We deliver food parcels two days a week, and on average delivery to about five households each week. - Pet food – many people who use the foodbank have pets to consider too, and if they are struggling to provide food for themselves and their families, they are also struggling to feed their pets.
We were delighted to have partnered with Bath Cats and Dogs Home who now regularly ensure we have a supply of pet food – so now all the family can be helped! - Julian House – Throughout the year we have continued to help Julian House supporting their most vulnerable clients with weekly food. This has helped their support workers keep in regular contact and ensure that they are not going hungry.
- Childrens services – we have been supporting Banes Childrens Services with emergency food parcels. They now collect and store a number of parcels for out of hours calls.
This ensures that vulnerable families that they visit and often find without food, can have this help.
These are some of the extra things we provide, and although our main priority is food and other essentials, these extras really do make a difference. Those coming to us for support can quite often feel overwhelmed with their situation, so along with ensuring we provide a welcoming space, offering these extras can just make people feel someone cares.
We are fortunate to have so much local support, from the generosity of the churches who have provided us with a welcome space to work, food donations, financial support, and the countless hours of volunteering. Over the twelve plus years we have been going we have always been able to provide for those who have needed it.
We would like to say a huge thank you to all for all the hard work and commitment you generously give to the foodbank. It is only because of the time you give that we can be here to support all who need our help.
Thank you for all you do to help those who need it.
Grainne, Katie, and John