Demand for food parcels has risen dramatically over the past year, which is a sad indictment of where we are as a society with more and more people struggling financially as the cost-of-living crisis escalates. Between the end of December 2022 and the end of August 2023, the Wantage and Grove Food Bank delivered 713 parcels compared to 585 parcels in the same period in 2022. Excluding Christmas parcels, the Food Bank delivered a total of 962 parcels during 2022.
Established ten years ago, the Wantage and Grove Food Bank is run entirely by volunteers from local churches working together under the auspices of the Wantage Community Church, part of Oxfordshire Community Churches. The Food Bank is also supported by the local community, schools, and businesses and without their continued support would have struggled to meet continued demand. Currently the Wantage and Grove Food Bank are looking for larger premises as currently they store all their food in one location and pack from another venue. Being able to bring everything under one roof would make the whole process much easier to co-ordinate. If anyone reading this article knows of suitable premises, with easy access and parking, local to Wantage with a low rent, please contact wantageandgrovefoodbank@gmail.com.
The Food Bank is intended to provide short-term emergency help to people who find themselves for whatever reason (for example job-loss, benefit problems, ill-health etc.) unable to feed themselves or their families. People who need a food parcel must first contact or visit one of the ‘referral agencies’ listed below, giving your name, address, and contact number if you have one. You will be asked for a brief reason why you need the parcel and when you will be at home to receive it. Please let the agency know if you have special dietary requirements, such as being vegetarian, and Food Bank will try to accommodate this.
Referral Agencies:
- Vale Community Impact (formerly known as Wantage Independent Advice Centre), 16 Market Place, Wantage, OX12 8AE (behind Barclay’s Bank), Tel. 01235 765348, help@vci.org.uk, vci.org.uk
- Social Services
- Job Centres
- Your child’s school
- Your doctor’s surgery
- Your health worker
- Your local church wantageandgrovechurchpartnership.org.uk
- Charities working with people/families in need
These agencies will apply to Food Bank for a parcel for you; the FoodBank will then deliver to your home a parcel of food which will last at least three days. (Vale Community Impact may be willing to keep the parcel for you for a short time if you have to collect it.) Usually, a parcel will get to you within twenty-four hours, but parcels are not delivered on Saturdays or Sundays.
How to Donate to the Food Bank:
You can find a list of suitable items to donate to the Food Bank by visiting wantageandgrovefoodbank.org.uk. Unfortunately, due to storage problems and health regulations, the Food Bank cannot accept fresh or homemade food or items past their ‘best before’ date. Items donated must have one or more months to go on their ‘best before date’. Donations of pet food are also being accepted.
There are a number of places where you can leave your donation of food:
- The Cornerstone Cafe, 10 Savile Way Grove, nr. Wantage OX12 0PT
- The King’s Centre Shop, Unit 3B, Kings Walk, Limborough Rd, Wantage OX12 9AJ (opposite Sainsbury’s)
- Vale Community Impact,16 Market Place, Wantage, OX12 8AE (behind Barclay’s Bank)
- The Co-op, 1 Savile Way, Grove, OX12 0PT
- Most local Churches
- Sainsbury’s and Waitrose supermarkets in Wantage town centre usually have collection points for Food Bankdonations.
For larger donations of food such as Harvest festival or Christmas collections please contact us by emailing wantageandgrovefoodbank@gmail.com and they will arrange a time when it can be picked up or be delivered to their premises.
Should the Foodbank be in the fortunate position of having surplus funds, the Committee may, on occasion, use these to donate to other nearby food banks in need, or in exceptional circumstances, to help clients with other necessities for daily living (under the guidance of, and in partnership with, the referring agency).
More information can be found on our website wantageandgrovefoodbank.org.uk.
