Thank you so much for all your support over the last year. We really appreciate everything you continue to do so we can ensure we make the greatest possible difference to people experiencing hardship in Mid Norfolk.
On Wednesday 26 April, we released our End of Year statistics. They included stark new figures which reveal that 4,878 emergency food parcels were provided to people in Dereham, Fakenham and Swaffham who couldn’t afford the essentials between April 2022 and March 2023 – 2,031 of these went to children. This is an increase of 52% on the previous year and is on a par with some of the most deprived areas of the UK.
This isn’t right and we know things don’t have to be this way. As we reflect on these extraordinary times, we want to extend a huge thank you to everyone for your generous donations of time, food and money.
As we navigate these challenging times together, we would encourage you to:
1. Reach out to us if there’s anything we can do to support you through this difficult time – you can get in contact with Mid Norfolk Foodbank by emailing [email protected] or calling 07542 106107.
2. Continue having conversations with your friends, family and neighbours about the impossible decisions that people visiting foodbanks are facing and how they can help us in the coming months.
3. Hold Mid Norfolk Foodbank’s team of volunteers in your thoughts and join us in praying together for a future where no-one needs emergency food, and everyone can afford the essentials.
Please donate food & toiletries via our collection points – check our website to see what items are needed most right now: https://midnorfolk.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/
You can also download the BanktheFood app onto your mobile phone to receive the most up-to-date list of our food needs and drop-off points: https://www.bankthefood.org/downloadapp/
BIG numbers
We handled 120 tonnes of food last year – with 59.4 tonnes received and 61.3 tonnes given away.
For the first time in Mid Norfolk’s history, bulk purchases have also had to be made to maintain stock levels and fulfil the food parcel shopping lists. Your one-off and monthly cash donations have enabled this, so we say a big thank you to you all for your ongoing support.
The annual Tesco Winter Collection was a huge success despite the challenges people face with the cost of living crisis – an astonishing 3.2 tonnes of food was collected over 3 days. Thank you is a small word for such huge generosity.
Some of the very welcome donations from (top) Dereham and District Tangent and (centre) the Holkham Park Runners, and above, all smiles as volunteers complete packing more than 200 Christmas boxes last December.
A well-deserved nod to our volunteers
We couldn’t do what we do without the support of our volunteers. They are simply the lifeblood of the Foodbank. As the numbers have grown, so has our amazing team. We have more than 60 volunteers across the Dereham, Swaffham and Fakenham network – all carry out varied but essential roles from sorting and packing in the warehouse, collecting donations, manning the three distribution centres, promoting the need at Tesco store collections, and updating our social media pages.
This being the first newsletter since the pandemic began, many of you may be unaware that Covid forced us to relocate our warehousing to new premises, just around the corner on the Rash’s Green Industrial Estate. But we are happy to report that since the beginning of this year we have been able to welcome the Independence Matters Hub team into the warehouse and life is finally a little more normal (no more masks and testing!)
And it was nice to see everyone’s hard work and self-sacrifice being recognised when we received a commemorative blue plaque on behalf of Lady Dannatt, Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk last summer.
Below: Founder Dave Pearson receives the award from Sara Foster, Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk, on behalf of the Mid Norfolk Foodbank team, alongside some of the warehouse volunteers.
Added support with energy bills
Thanks to grant funding from the Victory Homes Community Fund, Fakenham Rotary Club and Dereham Relief in Need, we have been able to offer domestic energy vouchers to foodbank users to help with the rising cost of electricity and gas.
Since last November, we have distributed more than £5,000 worth of vouchers to families referred to us by local councils, Citizens Advice, housing support officers and social prescribing services. We know this was a lifeline to many during the winter months and we hope this will be something we can continue to offer this winter too, funding permitting.
The vouchers are delivered electronically and so reach households quickly in their time of need.