Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank Newsletter |
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The Food Bank can only operate with the support of our volunteers who work tirelessly to help those in need, and who give their time in sorting donations, filling food bags, driving for us, storing & delivering emergency food bags, and running our food collection points across the city. Thank you to all our donors (both individuals and organisations) for their generosity in giving food and money. We are especially grateful at such a challenging time. A huge thanks to you all for your continued support. |
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Hi, The Trustees report and 2019-20 accounts were approved at our recent AGM. Please contact us if you would like a copy. We have confirmed to all our volunteers and our 3rd Party recipients that whatever happens elsewhere with the easing of lockdown measures, the way the Food Bank now operates is the "new normal". Becky will continue to coordinate the volunteers rota and, more importantly, the appointments system for all visitors to our base will remain in force. Graham Graham Walker Chair |
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Local artist raising funds for the Food Bank |
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Ian Hobson, a member of Menston Arts Club, has kindly offered to help raise funds for the Food Bank through sales of his paintings. Ian's work is available to view at http://ianhobson.blogspot.com If you would like to buy one of Ian's paintings, please email him in the first instance at ianhobsonuk@yahoo.com to check availability. You can then make a donation to the Food Bank for the amount of the painting(s) via our donating page. Ian will then be in touch to arrange delivery once he has seen a copy of your receipt. Many thanks to Ian for his generosity!
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Raffle raises £70 for the Food Bank |
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Thanks to regular fundraiser Naz Ahmed of Gifts by Nazz for organising another raffle to raise money for the Food Bank. With prizes including gift hampers like this one, Naz raised £70 for our funds. Thanks to everyone who contributed! |
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Sold! Easter auction success |
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The PfA (preparing for adulthood) team and their colleagues in the CTLD (the community team learning disability) at Bradford Council organised an online auction in April and raised over £300 worth of food donations and over £400 in additional cash donations. Charlotte Goss works in the PfA and suggested that the teams could raise funds for the Food Bank as they used our services for the people that they support. Charlotte says, "on the occasion I came in, the staff were so friendly and welcoming and helped my young person with some really well needed food bits and toiletries...A massive part of being a social worker for us is the social justice element and how, if we can do our bit for the local community, then we should!!!". |
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Charlotte started by asking the teams if they wanted to help donate food/toiletries to the Food Bank, when a colleague had the idea of using some of the left over donations from a Christmas project to run a swap project. This idea developed into a proper auction by Zoom on the 23rd of April. Charlotte says, "We ran it like a proper auction so we asked for the highest bids on each item, and it really was a lot of fun!".
Huge thanks to Charlotte and her colleagues for all their support. |
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Thanks to Val Lightowler of Hall Bank Drive, Bingley who sells plants and flowers from her front yard and gives proceeds to various charities. Val has kindly offered to host a Food Bank donation bin for visitors to her garden and, along with donations from the sales of plants, will encourage her many visitors to donate to us. |
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Research project on benefit changes |
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A team of researchers from the universities of York, Oxford and the London School of Economics, working in partnership with charity, Child Poverty Action Group, are conducting research in Bradford and London on how recent benefit changes (particularly the two-child limit and the benefit cap) are affecting larger families. They want to find out how people are experiencing and responding to these changes. The plan is then to share the evidence generated widely; including with politicians, policymakers and the voluntary and third sector.
For the study, the team are interviewing parents who:
- are subject to the benefit cap and/or the two-child limit
- have three or more children
- have the primary responsibility for the care of their children
- live in Bradford or London Participants will receive a £20 gift voucher for each interview they take part in as a thank you, and participants can choose whether they would like to be interviewed by phone or video call. The team have produced a video with more information, available at https://youtu.be/wGXQYuBkdt0. Further details are available from Kate Andersen at kate.andersen@york.ac.uk. |
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Website for food help across Bradford |
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A reminder that there is now a website that provides users with information about where to get help with food throughout the city. The site includes information for people needing emergency food, for those on a low income, and for those who are homeless. It also provides information about volunteering and donating.
The website, which includes information about Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank, is available at https://bradfordfoodbanks.org.uk/ |
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Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank (BMFB) was set up in 2004, with Company status coming around 2006, followed by charitable status. Our objective has always been to alleviate poverty across the Bradford district through the provision of food to those in need. The Food Bank is run by a committee of volunteers. In its first year, BMFB gave out 1500 bags of food. We now give out well over 1600 bags per month.
Provision of Food
BMFB operates a system of providing food to those in need through registered partners. We are different from most other food banks in that we do not supply food directly. The partners assess needs and collect packed bags of food from the Food Bank each week to give out to people to alleviate food poverty.
The amount of donated food is never enough to meet needs so BMFB also purchases food, using financial donations from individuals and organisations.
The content of each food bag is based upon advice from nutritionists. We estimate that one food bag will supply one person for 3 days.
If you are in need of a food parcel, please be aware we cannot give out parcels direct to individuals. Please ask any professional working with you eg teacher, minister, housing worker. For up-to-date information about where to get emergency food near to you, please visit https://bradfordfoodbanks.org.uk/ If you are a professional organisation already working with vulnerable people to support them overcome food poverty - and you need food bags from us - please fill in the contact form on our website. We will send you our process and ask you to complete a registration form. |
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Food donations can still be made via our collection points, but please check with the venues regarding the current situation. | | |
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Monetary donations, no matter how small, can be made via our donating page. Thank you in advance for thinking of us in these difficult times. | | |
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Frances Atkins Local Donors Steve Barnbrook Strategy, funding bids
Rob Edwards Website, newsletter Ken Leach Food collection from donation bins Lashman Singh Premises Julie Woodhurst Social Media, Volunteer and Agency rotas Becky Hutchinson Food Bank Coordinator |
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