We're still collecting donations
On the 7th May 2024 we'd raised £8,710 with 173 supporters in 0 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
+ est. £138.75
Our 2025 warehouse rent is £13,500 for the year. Raising funds will alleviate the pressure on us to secure our plans to continue our project
Project by CHESTERFIELD FOODBANK
On the 7th May 2024 we'd raised £8,710 with 173 supporters in 0 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
Here at Chesterfield Foodbank, we are a team of 125 volunteers and 2 paid staff members. Our volunteer teams work tirelessly week in, week out at our warehouse at Sheepbridge and at 6 foodbank sessions across Chesterfield at Brimington, Hasland, Chesterfield Town Centre, New Whittington and Loundsley Green. We also serve the Hope Valley area. We provide emergency 3-day parcels of food and essentials to local people in crisis by referral.
When people come to use our foodbank, they are welcomed with a friendly smile, a hot drink and a snack, and can chat with one of our helpful volunteers who can make sure the right food, toiletries, cleaning products and pet food are put into their parcel. We also work closely with other organisations to signpost people to local support and advice to help understand the causes of the crisis and empower people to improve their situations.
In the previous 12 months (April 2023 to March 2024) we have provided 5704 parcels of food and essentials to 10756 people, (7824 adults and 2932 children), made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors in the community, our dedicated volunteers and supporters, and our partner agencies and organisations.
At our foodbank centres, Citizens Advice attends at each of our daytime sessions so that our clients can have a face to face chat with a trained advisor to maximise their income, and get help on a range of specific issues. Referrals can be made for expert advice on housing, specialist debt management, navigating the benefits system, challenging unfair benefit decisions, and assistance with benefit applications, along with other referrals for fuel/energy support.
As part of the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks, our vision is for the end of the need for foodbanks. In the meantime, while foodbanks are so desperately needed, we will do whatever we can to ensure no-one goes hungry. This means keeping our warehouse fully stocked to ensure our volunteers have enough essential items to put in our parcels.
A huge pressure on us right now is our warehouse rent. The warehouse is pivotal to the project, not only housing our food parcel stock but also serving as our logistical hub and office. We have successfully negotiated a 50% discount bringing our rent bill to £13,500 for next year's rental costs. Thanks to help from Aviva's match funding, it is our hope that if we can raise £6,750, we will be able to fundraise up to our target and help secure another year's rent for 2025. Anything above this will be used for other operational costs, including food, toiletries, cleaning products, sanitary items, personal hygiene products, nappies and other costs such as overheads, utilities and staff costs. Thanks to the space afforded by the warehouse we have been able to serve as a depot to house stock for other local food/health projects too, which we hope to continue to be able to do in future.
Your help and support is massively appreciated and every £1 will count towards our target goal. Thank you from all of us at Chesterfield Foodbank.
Testimonial from a volunteer
"I’ve always wanted to help out people in my community but wasn’t sure of how to go about doing this. When the opportunity came up about volunteering at my local food bank, I knew that it was right for me and that I could make a difference. I care so much about my community and I wanted to be able to give something back and help those in need.
Whilst I was at the food bank, I enjoyed a lot of things. I enjoyed seeing all the volunteers there. I also enjoyed being able to help so many people. It was sad to see how many people were needing us, but I felt very warm inside every time I got home knowing I helped so many people in a day. It was nice to hear the service users thank you for your help and they were so appreciative .
Before starting at the food bank, I had very low confidence in myself and I was shy around people I didn’t know. Being at the food bank brought out another side to me and boosted my confidence which helped me talk more to other volunteers and the service users.
I was offered a first aid training course which I went ahead with and completed, I found it very enjoyable to learn different things and got a qualification out of it. This led me to be a first aider when I was at the food bank.
Recently I’ve been offered an apprenticeship, and my manager was able to give me an excellent reference for my new job role.
I have made a lot of friends during my time at the food bank, I am so grateful to have met them all and got to know everyone throughout my time there. I am able to keep in touch with everyone and I am able to carry on volunteering there when I am able to. "
Beccy, Chesterfield Foodbank, February 2024
This project offered rewards