Supplies roll in for foodbank

Donations to the Newark foodbank have passed the one tonne milestone after an appeal in the Advertiser.

Generous residents have donated a mountain of food to help people in need after stories about the foodbank ahead of its launch.

Financial contributions from individuals, churches and businesses have passed the £2,000 mark.

Mrs Helen Wilkinson, the fundraising organiser, said: “It is absolutely fantastic. We are touched by the level of support we have had from people.”

People have contributed non-perishable items such as pasta, rice, cereals, instant mash, biscuits, jam, powdered milk, tea, coffee and canned meat, fish and fruit.

The food is stored at Barnbygate Methodist Church, where the scheme is based, and at a warehouse on Brunel Drive provided free by Hillside Medical Supplies.

Vodafone has contributed £1,000 to fit out the warehouse with professional shelving.

Mrs Wilkinson said more than 100 volunteers had come forward to help run the foodbank, which will launch on February 4 and is part of a network of over 270 throughout the UK registered with the Trussell Trust.

It will open on Monday and Friday afternoons.

To receive food, people must be referred by a frontline care professional such as a doctor or social worker, and will then be issued with a voucher which they can exchange for a food parcel to last three days.

A limited number of vouchers will be issued initially to ensure the scheme runs smoothly. The aim is for it to be fully under way by Easter.

Volunteers are holding a food collection at Waitrose, Newark, from 9am to 5pm on Saturday.

For more information visit www.newark.food bank.org.uk