Foodbank has launched with 1.5 tonnes of produce (From Ledbury Reporter)

Foodbank has launched with 1.5 tonnes of produce

8:50am Monday 28th January 2013 in News By Tarik Al Rasheed

STORAGE shelves are heaving at Malvern’s new foodbank.

Having leapt into operation to provide emergency food to families in need over the Christmas holidays, the new charity was formally opened this week.

Over the past few weeks donations have enabled it to build up a stockpile of almost 1.5 tonnes of food.

However, chairman David Wareing said this will need constant replenishing and he said he has no idea how quickly stocks of certain items will run out.

The charity was set up in partnership with the Trussell Trust.

It has also amassed a small army of about 70 volunteers who have now been trained to help sort and distribute the food.

The foodbank is situated on the Howsell Industrial Estate in Malvern Link.

It will initially be opening its doors twice a week, on Monday and Thursday mornings.

Volunteers will prepare food parcels between 9am- 11am and then distribute them to referred clients between 11am-1pm on those days.

Those referrals will come from a wide range of agencies.

These include Sunshine and Evergreen children’s centres in Malvern, Hope Unlimited, Christians Against Poverty and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Mr Wareing said more referral agencies would be added as the foodbank gets up-and-running and there is a better idea of the overall need and demand in the town.

He added: “Opening days will also be added depending upon demand and as we get volunteers trained up.

“We are also putting in place a system for providing emergency parcels outside of these hours.”

Donations of food or funds can be dropped off at the Lyttelton Well, in Church Street, Malvern.