“The foodbank was there when we really needed it, it was an absolute lifeline.”
Wythenshawe Foodbank was established by the local community, faith groups and Wythenshawe Community Housing group along with Manchester City Council working together to tackle the issue of food crisis and food poverty in the local area. The Real Food Team and volunteers support the operational running of the Food Warehouse that supports Wythenshawe Foodbank.
Since their formation in 2016 they have helped to feed over 4,500 people and continue in their aims to alleviate hunger locally. We feel it is our duty as a local business to help the community as much as we can, and foodbanks are a cause close to our hearts. That’s why we donate 25p from every sale towards two charities – one of which being Wythenshawe Foodbank.
What is a foodbank?
Whilst foodbanks are seemingly becoming a normalised part of society, a lot of people are still in the dark with how they operate or how they could approach using a foodbank if the time ever came where they’re in the need for one. According to the Trussell Trust findings in 2018, 1,322,952 people received three-day emergency supplies from their foodbanks between April 2017 and March 2018. That is a 6% rise on last year. Of this figure, 197,000 of these people were from the North West, highlighting the important work Wythenshawe Foodbank do in their effort to reverse the trend of local hunger and food poverty.
People needing the support of foodbanks can come at the most surprising of times, for example an unexpected bill might leave someone unable to buy food for their family. We think it’s important for people to know what to do in this case, so they can help themselves or someone else in a similar position. Firstly, food is donated to the food banks from local community events, supermarkets and schools. Then volunteers, over 40,000 of them, sort and pack all the food into boxes. Thirdly, the food is divided and given to the people most in need with the help from a wide range of care professionals. This then concludes with the person receiving the support they need.
The Wythenshawe Foodbank has received huge amounts of support, proudly displaying a quote from an individual who used the foodbank in a moment of need, saying “The foodbank was there when we really needed it, it was an absolute lifeline”.
For more information on the foodbank including how you can support or find it, visit wythenshawe.foodbank.org.uk
The Real Food Team at Wythenshawe Foodbank
