VOLUNTEERS and trustees of Redditch Foodbank will once again join forces with Tesco Extra in Oakenshaw, to boost supplies next Saturday, September 14, following a busy summer.
It was widely anticipated that foodbanks would face an increase in demand whilst school meals were off the menu, with already-struggling parents feeling the extra strain during the six-week break.
This has been borne out by figures released by Redditch Foodbank which show that during the last financial year there was a huge increase in demand compared to the previous year, with a total number of 2,346 visitors compared to 1,613 in the previous year.
Volunteers will be in store offering lists of items they particularly need, including basic toiletries, as they enter the Coldfield Drive store.
“We endeavour to provide a nutritionally-balanced food parcel, in line with the Trussell Trust’s recommendations,” said Laura Kyte, project manager of Redditch Foodbank.
“We also try to be as creative as possible when there are shortages of particular items and aim to cater as best we can for those with food allergies and intolerances.”
Laura added: “The majority of recipients continue to be single people, but we saw a rise in families in need of our services, with a third more children represented among the statistics last year.”
Redditch Foodbank is run by local charity Acts of Kindness, which exists to end hunger and poverty in the area.
It is part of the national foodbank network, The Trussell Trust, and is supported locally by The Oakland Foundation for warehouse space since 2014.
The Rev Robin Baker, chair of trustees at Redditch Foodbank, said: “We will be collecting at Tesco both in September and for three days in November.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to engage with the public, whose generosity never ceases to amaze me.”
Visit https://redditch.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/ for more information about donating.
