THE FOOD BANK Centre Salisbury

Elim Christian Centre

Elim Christian Centre, Salisbury

Wiltshire (UK)

Telephone: 01722 411224

Email: rachel.stanford@trusselltrust.org

Fighting Poverty and Despair with Sustainable Community Projects

Updated: u

Home > THE FOOD BANK > Centre

A warm welcome for FOOD BANK clients

THE FOOD BANK Centre was opened in 2002. It is a place where FOOD BANK clients are always welcome. Whereas THE FOOD BANK team based at the foodstore coordinate the collection, sorting and storing of food, it is the staff and volunteers at THE FOOD BANK Centre who meet clients face-to-face to fulfil their personal needs.

Clients find this welcome upstairs at the Elim Christian Centre in Salisbury. The Centre is clean and light with a children's play area and bright murals.

Clients are referred to the Centre by over 90 registered distributors. They include social workers, health care professionals, probation officers, church ministers and many other voluntary sector workers.

These registered distributors either distribute an emergency food box directly to someone in need, or issue a voucher that they can exchange for food at THE FOOD BANK Centre.

Please donate on line to meet our FOOD SHORTAGES or support THE FOOD BANK CENTRE EXPENSES using our

Virtual On-Line Shopping Trolley

THE FOOD BANK Centre

At THE FOOD BANK Centre we take a holistic approach to solving clients' problems. While Centre staff prepare the food bags, we are able to signpost clients to other professional services in order to solve the root cause of their crisis.

We offer clients free access to the Internet and email. We also access and refer clients to other services such as counselling, debt counselling, advocacy, Steps to Learning advice, energy efficiency advice, family support or Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).

Specialist advisors holding open surgeries at THE FOOD BANK Centre:

Salisbury Housing Support Team:

Tuesdays 12.00 pm – 2.00 pm

Christians Against Poverty

Wednesdays 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm

Next Step Learning Advisor:

Alternate Wednesdays 11.00 am – 2.00 pm

Click HERE for a PDF detailing our work with Christians Against Poverty (CAP) ( www.capuk.org )

What THE FOOD BANK Centre provides

Simple, cheap, nutritious snacks and meals to people who visit the Cafe. Clients redeeming food vouchers get free meals.
Access to education and life skills training (nutrition, cooking, budgeting, parenting), designed to break individual cycles of poverty.
Link access to third- party resources/agencies operating in the front line of poverty and able to help change happen.

THE FOOD BANK Café

We developed THE FOOD BANK Café to complement the existing services and facilities available within the FOOD BANK Centre.

Having consulted with a cross- section of FOOD BANK clients via a survey in 2002, many individuals and families with financial difficulties or low income identified the need for a place in Salisbury to buy cheap hot food.

It became apparent that the idea of opening a community Café would be one way of tackling food poverty by serving affordable hot nutritious food.

The Café concept would also help us to achieve other identified goals that could benefit disadvantaged individuals and families.

The Café serves more than one purpose as follows:

To provide simple cheap nutritious snacks and meals to people who visit the cafe.

To feed families who would normally be entitled to free school meals during school holidays. Evidence shows a higher demand for food when free school meals are not available.

To act as a neighbourhood café to non-FOOD BANK customers.

To empower clients by running life skills workshops – cook and eat, food nutrition, budgeting. By providing education and training individuals are better placed to break the cycle of poverty that exists in they’re own and there children’s lives.

To increase the volunteering opportunities within the Trust by providing a meaningful supported work and training environment for additional volunteers.

Seven stories of lives changed and help provided

Lady with children from a previous marriage. Partner walked out one day and took everything, including her medication, which meant she had to be hospitalised overnight.

She was devastated, in tears continually. Partner left debts and unpaid bills. She never thought this would ever happen to her, she said we were her ‘lifeline’. We were able to provide food, make her an appointment with CAB and refer her for counselling.

Call from a Health Visitor. Single Mum, recently appeared in court, no money to buy a present for her child’s 4th birthday. Mum about to go into hospital. We were able to provide the Health Visitor with toys and food items to help provide a birthday tea.

Food and Easter eggs provided for women in crisis as they use the Women’s refuge.

A man on a Probation Order plus recovering from heroin and alcohol addiction. Struggling to cope, meet the demands of everyday life, move on and manage debts and bills. We provided food in a safe, relaxing environment where the client was able to spend time talking to staff on a regular basis. As well as befriending we were able to refer the client for counselling and look at ways we could help with budgeting.

A young homeless girl arrived in the city with nothing. Able to provide food, disposable cutlery, can opener and toiletries. She had found somewhere via another voluntary sector worker; we provided information regarding voluntary agencies that could provide furniture.

A couple with small children lost their food supplies and use of the kitchen overnight due a house fire. The family were so grateful for the food they received which helped them cope with immediate crisis.

If you would like to know how you could help at THE FOOD BANK Centre, please click HERE or contact us.