Desperate Sutton Bridge families struggling to put food on the table should be able to get help on their doorstep by the end of the year.
It has been revealed that the Trinity Room at St Matthew’s Church is to be the location for a new foodbank, which it is hoped will be open for business by Christmas.
It is expected that it will help scores of people who are struggling to keep their heads above water by providing food parcels of basic provisions.
St Matthew’s vicar, the Rev David Oxtoby is leading the drive for the new foodbank after his own research suggested a need in what is statistically South Holland’s most deprived ward.
He said: “I moved to the area about ten months ago from Stamford where I was involved in a foodbank, but I didn’t want to come in here and assume one was needed.
“I have spent the past ten months listening to what people have to say and several people have approached me and said there was a need.
“We held a provisional meeting of relevant groups and agencies and at the end of it people voted unanimously in favour of having a food bank.
“We have now managed to secure a venue in the form of the Trinity Room, which has a kitchen, toilets and room for tables and a counter, and are now looking to take the next step which is to start raising the money – around £7,500 to £8,000 – we need for the first year’s operation.”
The search will also begin soon for storage facilities for the food.
As well as financial support, Mr Oxtoby is also hoping the foodbank will receive the support of local producers and manufacturers, who may be willing to donate food.
Nearer the launch date, the foodbank committee will also be appealing for volunteers to man the foodbank and help fundraise.
Mr Oxtoby said: “I didn’t want to set up a foodbank just on hearsay that one was needed so I looked at the statistics available and it seems that more than 40 people from Sutton Bridge used foodbank vouchers in 2013, even though they had to travel elsewhere to the nearest foodbank.
“It is believed that will rise to 60 people this year, so if that many people are desperate enough to travel, it suggests there could be a lot more who would use a foodbank if it was on their doorstep.
“Foodbanks are not there to support the benefits system, it’s a stop gap to help people who are facing difficult decisions between putting fuel in the car to get to work, pay the bills or put food on the table.
“Sutton Bridge is an area of high employment but low salaries, so a lot of people are living on a knife edge and it doesn’t take much – just an unexpected bill – to push people over the edge.”
Anyone interested in finding out more or supporting the foodbank, contact the Rev Oxtoby on 01406 258572 or email [email protected].
