Help is being sought for the new Somer Valley Foodbank, which is being set up to support families and individuals in need of food during financial hardship. With B&NES and other Councils cutting back on Council Tax rebates and attempting to lower current and future home care costs, the money struggling families and individuals will have left to spend on groceries will be reduced in the future, making this the right time, even in this prosperous area, to establish a food safety net.
During September, almost forty people from community groups, Councils and churches attended an information meeting at Ammerdown Conference Centre to find out more about the project and how they can get involved.
Now organisers are specifically looking for help with warehouse space and transporting goods.
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: "If anyone has spare warehouse capacity that they would be prepared to donate to the foodbank on an ongoing basis, we would love to hear from them.
"Foodbanks provide three days of food to people who need it the most.
"How the initiative works is that 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."
As the official launch in January draws closer, help is also needed to transport food products. Rev. Street added: "We specifically need a transit-type van for 1st December to collect donated food from a number of major supermarkets. This will be a great help in making sure the scheme is up and running for the new year."
If anyone can help, please contact Joy Fraser on 01761 433644.
Over 200 foodbanks have already been established elsewhere in the country.