A charity set up twelve years ago to support families and individuals in need of food is being established to serve Radstock, Midsomer Norton and the surrounding area. With two-thirds of Company Directors surveyed by the Institute of Directors not expecting the country to come out of recession this year and withmany economists expecting wages to stagnate and unemployment to start rising significantly, this initiative may be coming at just the right time. B&NES Cllr Nathan Hartley, Lib-Dem Peasedown, said: "Unfortunately, there will always be a need for this sort of activity, poverty has been and will always be with us."
Since 2000, over 250 foodbanks have been established around the country to provide food in times of crisis. Now, following the creation of Bath Foodbank last year, a group of local churches, residents, interest groups and councillors have come together to create a similar initiative for Radstock, Midsomer Norton and the surrounding Parishes.
Rev. Matthew Street, Leader of the St J's Group of Anglican Churches in Peasedown St John, Wellow, Shoscombe and Foxcote, is supporting the project. He said: "Too often people find themselves in situations where they don't have enough money to put food on the table. Paying the heating bill has taken priority, or ensuring the children have adequate shoes to wear to school. Foodbanks provide three days of food to people who need it the most.Where they have been running in other parts of the country, they have been a success."
Professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers, the CAB and police identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher. The voucher can be taken to a foodbank distribution centre where the food has been collected through donations, or from volunteer supermarket collections. At the centre it will be redeemed for three days emergency food. Volunteers meet clients over a cup of tea or free hot meal and are able to signpost people to agencies who can provide longer-term help with their needs.
With a core group of people keen to co-ordinate a foodbank locally, positive things are now starting to happen. Peasedown's Rev. Street said: "We are now looking for 100 volunteers to help run the Somer Valley Foodbank, to collect food, work in our distribution centre and support those who come along with their food vouchers. If anyone is interested in getting involved, please come along to our information meeting on the 13th September."
The foodbank will have a central depot and satellite distribution points, including one in Peasedown.
Details of how to get involved will be given at the Ammerdown Centre on Thursday, 13th September at 3 p.m. This foodbank will be part of the Trussle Trust, the national umbrella charity for foodbanks, and plans to launch on 1st January 2013. For more details, contact Joy Fraser on: 01761 433644.