Donate to your local food bank.

I have recently started volunteering at my local food bank in Chesterfield that is funded by Trussell Trust. Trussell Trust provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty. It is recorded that in the UK more than 14 million people are living in poverty and within that figure 4.5 million are children. With Christmas fast approaching we can be quick to forget how lucky we are to plan Christmas dinners and meals out as a family, however, for some they are not as fortunate.

Before volunteering I was naive as to how I could help this issue which is why I am writing this short post to urge people to research their local food bank and give back. Researching your local food bank will show which day the food bank is open at what times where you can drop off any food donations. There may also be other food drop off points within your area, for example within Chesterfield there is a drop off point at Chesterfield library and also within Tesco. Find your local food bank here.

What items to donate? The main items that the Chesterfield food bank need are long life milk, tinned fruit and vegetables and also juice. However, each food bank may have different items that run out more quickly, so why not send an email to your nearest food bank and ask how you could help with donations? Tinned food that is in date is always welcomed due to its long shelf life. When donating food try to consider that some people may not have any/ many cooking facilities. How about buying one or two extra items on your weekly shop to drop off at a supermarket drop off or the food bank itself. Underneath is an example of a basket put together from a harvest festival that was dropped off last Tuesday.

I have linked in one way of finding a local food bank near you: Find your local food bank.