The Food Bank Salisbury

THE FOOD BANK gives free emergency food to single people and families in crisis. We continue to help them until the appropriate agencies can step in. This project saves and changes lives.

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The Trussell Trust pioneered the FOOD BANK idea and we have successfully run ours in Salisbury since 2000. Then it was just a small operation in a shed.

In 2006/7, we fed 3,082 people including 1330 children in South Wiltshire. To meet this need, we collected over 33 tonnes of food. That’s enough for 75,000 meals for people who would otherwise struggle to put food on the table.

The Salisbury FOOD BANK also gives food in bulk to local institutions, charities and hostels. These include breakfast clubs for deprived children, the night shelter, the Women’s Refuge, and a charity feeding people living rough.

Collecting food outside a supermarket

Seven stories of people we’ve helped

All sorts of people, in all sorts of situations, sometimes need help with food. Among those we have helped are…

A widow who was struggling to pay off funeral expenses.
Families hit when they had to repay overpaid Tax Credit.
A family heavily in debt after the father’s business collapsed when he became ill.
A young single mum living with her grandmother and struggling to make ends meet.
A young man, unemployed and evicted, moving into a hostel.
A man with learning difficulties who needed food when he ran out of money.
Morning Star – a local charity that has provided over 2,600 meals for homeless people living on the streets.

Find out more about THE FOOD BANK.

The Food Bank makes a real difference
to people's lives

A cup of coffee and a chat with someone who cares

THE FOOD BANK Centre does more than provide emergency food. People can come in for a cup of coffee in a safe space and tell their story to someone who wants to listen and help.

It also provides one-stop access to multi-agency support (Citizens Advice Bureau, debt counsellors, advocacy, health visitors etc). This approach helps people to escape from long-term poverty by addressing all the factors affecting their lives. Local care professionals have given us a lot of support, and some now base themselves at the Centre.

A friendly face and a listening ear at
The Food Bank Centre

How THE FOOD BANK works

First, we collect tinned and dried food from the public at supermarkets, churches, schools and other local groups. Then we bank it in THE FOOD BANK Warehouse. Next, we sort, store and prepare the food for distribution.

We give the food to people in crisis referred to us by registered care professionals. These include Social Services, health visitors, probation officers, church pastoral workers and other front line carers.

The two ways we give out food

Care professionals give out vouchers to single people and families. They can then exchange their vouchers for three days’ nutritionally balanced tinned and dried food at The Food Bank Centre.

We also pack Emergency Food Boxes, each with three days’ food for a single person or a family of four. We normally give these to rural distributors for immediate delivery. A same-day delivery service from the warehouse supplements the food boxes.

Recognition for THE FOOD BANK

The Trussell Trust was awarded The Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award in 2003. The Award was for The Trust’s work providing food to local people in crisis and the support we have given to other voluntary and statutory organisations.

The award was set up to recognise outstanding achievements by voluntary groups who help improve the quality of life and opportunities of others.

In 2004, THE FOOD BANK project was also shortlisted for the Faithworks CRE Community Resource Award.

Faithworks is a movement of thousands of individuals, churches and organisations motivated by their Christian faith to serve the needs of their local communities and positively influence society as a whole.

Patrick Henderson, O.B.E., Operations Director, receiving
The Queen's Golden Jubilee Award

How we train and support volunteers

One of the most rewarding aspects of our work is giving work for volunteers in a supportive workplace. Volunteers come from all walks of life: some have been in very difficult situations, like coming out of prison; others have disabilities or learning difficulties and are not yet able to find paid jobs.

We give our volunteers worthwhile, valued jobs that really help The Trust. Through careful management, incremental training and a lot of love, we help them rediscover their sense of self-worth and, simply, flower.

How you can help

Volunteering We always need volunteers to help collect, sort and distribute food.

Food Donations You can donate in-date tinned and dried food from our shopping list. Or organise your church or group to collect regularly and drop it off at our warehouse.

Giving It costs over £40,000 a year to run THE FOOD BANK. Your gifts of cash, especially when you fill in a Gift Aid form, allow us to continue giving food to people in need.

Fundraising Why not organise a fundraising event? These can be great fun. You’ll get lots of ideas on our events page.

Gifts in kind You may have a particular skill you can offer us, or equipment we could use to cut our overheads. Anything that keeps our costs down is very welcome. If you can help us in any way, please get in touch.

Want to start a FOOD BANK in your area?

Contact Jeremy Ravn and find out more about The Food Bank Franchise.

MORE about THE FOOD BANK Franchise

Contact THE FOOD BANK Franchise