Tower and Town, July 2018 (view the full edition)Foodbank Centre In MarlboroughMarlborough Foodbank Centre was reopened last November with the support of Marlborough Area Poverty Action Group (MAPAG) and under the auspices of the Devizes Foodbank, a registered charity operating as part of the Trussell Trust's UK Foodbank network. We are based at Christchurch and open every Friday from 10am - 12 midday. I'm very grateful to Christchurch for their support, the use of their comfortable coffee area and space for storage of boxes and for the volunteers who give of their time so willingly. There has been a slow start but we are beginning to see an increase in numbers. One of our major problems is transport. We need to bring food boxes from Devizes to Christchurch. Many clients also need help getting the food boxes from Christchurch to their home. We have a number of volunteers who can offer this transport. The opportunity to network with community organisations and agencies has led to more referrals and is also helping us to build up a clearer picture of what support is available in the community. At the recent Devizes Foodbank AGM it was noted that the principal reasons for people in the area needing food assistance were delays or changes to benefits. People are sometimes surprised to hear that there is a need for this in a wealthy area like Marlborough and its surrounding villages. But the poverty is there, hidden amongst the wealth. How can you help? Donate food at Waitrose or Tesco. A list of what is needed can be seen at the Foodbank collection point so have a look at this before you shop. Donate food through the local churches or drop into Christchurch on a Friday morning. Donate financially at: mydonate.bt.com/charities/devizesfoodbank. Ann Yates |