Ff4wf operates from my home in Newton with Scales but the area covered is the Fylde Coast. We deliver food parcels to the following areas -
Kirkham and wesham
Wrea Green and Lytham
Freckleton and Warton
Elswick and Inskip
Poulton le fylde and Garstang
Weeton and Staining
St Anne's and Singleton
Blackpool
Some of these locations are remote and the regular food banks no longer deliver so by offering delivery it is saving families bus fare to collect. It is benefitting the community by offering fresh food to improve diets, mental health etc to working families unable, or in some cases turned away from food banks, to meet criteria as they may be just over the threshold for assistance with bills. I know from having volunteered at the Trussell Trust that a meat option for a family of four is, for example, a Fray Bentos pie. One man I gave a meat voucher to (for the local butcher) actually cried as he'd not had fresh meat in nine months.
I am also working in conjunction with the Adam Little Boxing and the local police to provide fresh fruit and sandwiches to the youths following a boxing/martial arts course. These kids have, in the past, been found to be causing anti social behaviour and nuisance in Kirkham, by giving an outlet in boxing etc, the ASB has reduced greatly. In fact it has been so successful the council and police in St Anne's are sending a group of their youths for training sessions. I'm hopeful this can be rolled out further across the Fylde with the right support and backing. ASB in Kirkham has reduced by 90% which is fantastic.
It costs approx £1500 per month to feed 44 families- one food parcel each in the month providing food for the week and toiletries and sanitary products for the month.
The produce is supplied locally thus is sustainable eg milk is free of charge from the dairy as the farmer has met his targets and it would otherwise be thrown away, eggs are free range from my neighbour, fruit and veg is supplied by a local farm shop and 85% of the produce is grown locally and seasonal, meat is supplied by two butchers again local to the area.
Cllr Diane Ireland B.Sc., A.P.M.p, M.I.W.E.M
07872066594