Abingdon Foodbank has been in operation since 2009, helping local people facing hardship and food poverty. Today, as part of the Trussell Trust network and in partnership with Christ Church Abingdon and Abingdon Vineyard Church, the foodbank operates across two sites in the north and south of the town. In 2023, they distributed 2791 emergency food parcels to local people in crisis, feeding 4,162 adults and 2,811 children.
With a volunteer force of around 50 people in their 20s through to their 80s, the work of Abingdon Foodbank is built on the skills, kindness and compassion of others. There are lots of misconceptions around users of foodbank services, and they actively want to encourage anyone who is struggling to buy food to feed themselves or their families to seek referrals for foodbank.
Every week, the volunteers help people in a wide range of different circumstances. Many of their clients are in work, while others are unable to work through disability, injury and illness. They also support refugees, people fleeing domestic abuse, prison leavers, those facing homelessness, and low-income families. Each emergency parcel that they pack contains enough food for three days to ease the period of crisis.
Organisers of the Abingdon Foodbank know that people might feel shy or embarrassed at needing to use a foodbank, but they want to encourage people to access the help they need. You will be greeted with a friendly welcome, a hot drink and a biscuit, and given an opportunity to seek further help and advice from their dedicated listeners and signposting services.
If you think you need help, you can access support and be issued with a foodbank referral voucher from the following services: Citizens Advice, GPs, health visitors and medical teams, social services, schools, faith leaders and probation officers. The foodbank also works with services including Elmore Community Services, Turning Point, Homeless Oxfordshire, Mind Oxfordshire and Maggie’s Oxford. A useful starting point to get a referral can be using the Trussell Trust’s ‘Help through Hardship’ helpline (0808 2082138).
Abingdon Foodbank, like all foodbanks, are hugely reliant on public donations and fundraising in order to help their service users. Long-life products, pet food, hygiene and household cleaning items are all gratefully received at our donation points around Abingdon or during foodbank sessions.
The local community who work hard to support the Abingdon Foodbank, amaze the foodbank organisers by the creative fundraising ideas people have, from golf tournaments to music concerts, youth group challenges, workplace initiatives and local plant sales! Financial donations are crucial to enabling them to buy items that are urgently need or are running low. These items are not just food but cleaning materials, toiletries and pet food too.
Currently the team are running their Kid’s Summer Meals Campaign which aims to ease the financial burden of the school summer holidays for families who rely on free school meals. They are asking for donations of long-life breakfast and lunch items for children, to put together additional parcels. Other seasonal campaigns are run for Harvest, Christmas and Easter, alongside a Winter Warmers campaign in the colder months.
Key information:
You must have a valid referral voucher in order to use Abingdon Foodbank services.
Abingdon Foodbank opening times and locations:
- Abingdon North Site: Christ Church, Northcourt Road, OX14 1PL - Open Tuesday & Friday 11.00-13.00
- Abingdon South Site: Preston Road Community Centre, OX14 5NR - Open Wednesday 13.00-14.30
Donation Points:
Use the BanktheFood app to see our most urgently needed items when you are shopping!
- Waitrose, Abbey Close
- Aldi, Wootton Road
- One Stop, Wootton Road
- Tesco Express, Oxford Road
- Pets at Home, Fairacres Retail Park
- Co-op, West St Helen’s Street
- Co-op, Southmoor
For further information please contact: Help through Hardship helpline: 0808 2082138 (Lines open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Closed on public holidays)
or for further information or to volunteer, please email: info@abingdon.foodbank.org.uk or phone: 07562247443.
Website: abingdon.foodbank.org.uk | Facebook: facebook.com/AbFoodBank | Instagram:@abingdon_foodbank
