Food Banks

[cheaver]

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I've never really given much thought to Food Banks other than the fact that food is donated by those who can afford to give it for the benefit of those who are in need of it. However, when one of our members nominated Bath Foodbank for a fundraising charitable event here on eBid towards the end of this month, I was struck by the fact that Bath is a huge city - how does it cope with what must be a huge, gigantic need?

Here are some facts snippets which I thought I would share here -



Bath is the largest city in the county of Somerset, population approx 88,859.

Official rough sleeping figures in Bath are the 'tip of the iceberg' say charities
There has been an increase of 8% in the use of the Foodbank compared to the previous year.

"Bath Foodbank is operated entirely by volunteers - there are no salaries to pay and so our main expenses, apart from the administrative costs, are running and maintaining the Foodbank van, and rental on the warehouse."

"We have a problem with the warehouse in that at times when most donations are given –harvest festival and Christmas –we can find ourselves short of space. As a short-term measure we have taken a one-year lease on a unit at the Bath Safestore, at a discounted cost"

"we are well into the lease on the current premises and so ideally would like to find larger more centrally placed premises. The ideal would be to have the warehouse and distribution centre on one site, reducing the environmental impact of running a diesel van back and for along the London Road, and also increasing the opportunities for engagement with clients"



2017 - 2018





Summary of activity over the last year:

51,620.3 kgs of food were donated to the Bath Foodbank

4469 people in Bath were given food for 3 meals for 3 days to help them at a time of crisis. Of this number 1359 were children with many of those being under 11 years of age.

over 100 volunteers help on a regular basis to ensure that food is collected, stored and distributed to those in need in the city.

over 100 agencies have vouchers to give to people who are experiencing a crisis and need help with food.



Please - come and support the YDC 180 (Your Donation Counts) Charity Auction which will run for 4 days only from 24th September. It is hoped a goodly amount will be raised to send to the Bath Foodbank - to help take the hunger pangs away from as many folk, including children, as possible.

Thank You for taking the time to read this.


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[cornishmaid1961]

Thank you for sharing that information Cheaver that is very helpful. I'm hoping that we can raise plenty of cash for them in YDC180 to help keep their pick up van on the road and help with the warehouse costs. So if you good ebidders can list something or even just come in to give us a few bids between the 24th and 28th that all helps. Just type YDC* in the search box when the time comes.

[HerMajesty]

Most interesting. Times those figures by x=number of other big cities in the UK/EU/World, and you can see there is an immense problem.

[cornishmaid1961]

​Interesting to hear how they operate in your part of the world Marie.

[cheaver]

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The Bath Foodbank seems to be extremely well organised and it's difficult to see where abuse, if any, can happen there.
It works using a voucher referral system managed by local agencies who issue foodbank vouchers. The agencies also provide long term support if needed to help address some of the issues behind the reasons for a crisis.

Bath Foodbank also invited all primary schools in the city to opt into a scheme whereby help is given during the summer school holidays, to families whose children are eligible for free school meals. Sixteen schools opted into the scheme. Many of the families who accepted the offer made it clear that this made a real difference to them.

Speaking of which there is an interesting article about Foodbanks in Schools (nationwide, not just Bath) in the BBC News this morning.


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[madelaine]

In UK, my experience is that those who talk about people taking advantage of foodbanks are never those who have ever worked in a foodbank.

[yellerbelly]

I volunteered 5 years ago not for food banks but for a charity where people would come in for help and advice on a range of problems including benefits and I was surprised that how many people seem to have their priorities wrong or is it just me, I cannot understand when people are on a low income they choose to have sky etc, when freeview is perfectly ok. When I was working my income was not huge compared to some but being alone with a mortgage and bills to pay I had to cut my cloth accordingly, and struggled often in the process, and sky etc was not in my budget then. Freeview serves me well as does my £9.99 Nokia mobile phone being a 'Billy no mates' and my last holiday was 1983. I watch the programmes on TV where people seek financial help (hoping to learn something more) and am amazed at how much is spent on gadgets, take away meals, clothes etc., Now on a pension I still watch the pennies and you can often find me down the reduced to clear aisle.

I remember growing up and if I asked my mother 'what was for tea' I was told sometimes 'bread and if it' and if we did not like what was put in front of us we went without, how times have changed, sometimes for the worse. As I understand it less or no 'domestic science' is now taught in schools, a pity, I also think there should be more help given to those on a small budgets on providing well balanced meals with what they have available as some appear to have no idea on how to even peel a potato going from one programme I viewed, is this due to cutbacks on education or the emphasis by Tony Blair's government that you need to get a University education, which is not for everyone, secondary modern served me well.

I also volunteered in my spare time for WRVS for many years in many roles and one of the things they used to do was provide clothes which had been donated for those that could not afford to buy, even from a charity shop, this I feel much needed now for some families. Well better jump off my soap box, think I am becoming a grumpy old woman.

Well count me in for the auction all being well, perhaps a jar of something.

[crafters_corner]

Very well said, Babushka.
Thank you for putting my thoughts into words.

[cornishmaid1961]

Yes I tend to agree there babushska the lack of practical education and this push to get all young people into university (often doing degrees in impractical subjects after which they can't find employment) instead of getting them to learn a useful trade has caused a lot of problems in this country.

I also grew up not having a lot of money around, making do with second hand clothes, and can remember my mother being upset at the end of the month not knowing how she was going to stretch the pennies to feed the family. We were lucky however that we were in a rural area so my mother grew her own vegetables and fruit to help with the food bill and I can remember local farmers giving us pigeons and rabbits they had shot for stews - a good job I didn't become a vegetarian until I was a teenager !

I have also been amazed at what some people think are priorities in life when watching TV documentaries and they certainly need more education on how to manage their income. However you still can't get away from the fact that there are so many people out there that are hungry through no fault of their own. So I hope we can raise a goodly amount for the Bath Foodbank in YDC180.

[sucadot]

However you still can't get away from the fact that there are so many people out there that are hungry through no fault of their own. So I hope we can raise a goodly amount for the Bath Foodbank in YDC180.

I hope so too Becky. I think the stats from the Bath Foodbank report for last year speak for themselves -