Melksham Food Bank

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Melksham Food Bank

Melksham Food Bank is a scheme run by volunteers from the Churches in Melksham under the auspice of the Melksham Family of Churches.

The purpose of The Food Bank is to provide practical short term help to a person or a family in need during the short interval between that need or problem arising and Social Services organising the benefits. This is done by providing a food parcel containing sufficient food basics for 3 days. This will allow the person or family concerned to concentrate on resolving their problem (in conjunction with the appropriate agencies) without them also having to worry about their food needs.

The Melksham Food Bank started in September 2007 and operates on similar lines to The Calne Food Bank who (by kindly sharing their experiences) have helped to get The Melksham Food Bank started. As well as Melksham and Calne, there are Food Banks operating in Devizes, Malmesbury and Bradford on Avon.

People with genuine needs will be identified by means of a referral system. Recognised ‘agencies’ who operate in this sphere will collect a food parcel from the Food Bank and deliver it to the person(s) in need. A list of 'agencies' who have used Melksham Food Bank is provided at the end of this article.

The Food Bank is non-profit-making and relies on donations of food to work. A list of suggested food donations can be found toward the end of this article. In addition to food donations, financial donations are also welcome as these can be used to make up shortages in the food donated.

Each participating Church has a representative who promotes the work of the Food Bank in their Church and coordinates the collection of food donations on behalf of their Church.

A small central team of volunteers run the scheme by: receiving the food donations from the various Church representatives; making up food parcels; dealing with the recognised ‘agencies’; coordinating the distribution of food parcels; and keeping records.

No food is wasted! As food approaches its expiry date it will be passed on to other local organisations who are able to use the donations immediately.

Email Melksham Food Bank

Phone Melksham Food Bank - 07851 016027

Suggested donations:
The following items are specifically suggested in order to meet the requirements for the food boxes. Sizes given are approximate and reflect that we are catering for single people and families. Please don’t provide fresh produce or frozen produce.

Fruit Juice (Carton, 1 litre)
Breakfast Cereal (small packet, 1 kg packet, ‘variety’ packs)
Soup (tinned, 400g)
Baked Beans (200g and 400g)
Tomatoes (tinned, 200g and 400g)
Tinned Vegetables (assorted, 200g and 400g)
Instant Mash Potato
Meat (tinned, 200g and 400g)
Fish (tinned, 100g)
Fruit (tinned, 200g and 400g)
Rice Pudding (tinned)
UHT Milk (Long Life, 0.5 litre, 1 litre)
Sponge Pudding (tinned, 200g and 400g)
Pasta (500g)
Cooking Sauces (tins or packets)
Sugar (500g)
Tea Bags (40s)
Biscuits (large packet, small packet)
Snack bars (e.g., cereal bars)
Chocolate Bar (single bars or multipacks)

Agencies:
The following 'agencies' have used Melksham Food Bank:

Citizens Advice Bureau
Community Mental Health Team
Community 4
Connexions Intensive Team
LPSA
Home Care Social Service
Melksham Church Ministers
Queensway Chapel Children's Centre
Queensway Chapel Family Centre
Queensway Chapel Pastoral Care
SPLITZ
Voice (Children's Rights Service)
WASS 4YP
WCC Social Services Aftercare Team
Westlea Supported Housing Temporary Accommodation
Wiltshire County Council
Wiltshire Primary Care Trust Health Visitors
Youth Offending Service