Shifnal Help Food Bank (SHFB) Operations Report Period: April 2022 to May 2023
Who are we?
Shifnal Help Food Bank is an Independent Charity. We secured Charitable status in May 2021.
Our objective is to provide a food bank resource funded by grants and public donations for the benefit of distressed families in Shifnal and district. We act as an emergency bridge to support families in need.
We rely on physical and financial donations and volunteer support.
Shifnal Help Food Bank has made tremendous progress in 2022 and into 2023. It continues to be a valuable and vital asset to the community, making connections of support and caring, and St Andrew’s church where we are located is an essential hub for that support.
What do we do?
We have had a busy and productive year at the Food Bank, growing in all directions.
A food parcel contains longlife items, aiming to provide for a balanced and healthy diet, taking into consideration any stated allergies or intolerances. We use the financial donations we receive to purchase fresh fruit, vegetables, bread and eggs for each parcel. As we do not have the provision to store fresh food, these items are shopped on demand when a parcel is requested.
As food banks differ in the number of days support for which they provide in each parcel, the number of meals supplied has become an accepted standard amongst food banks to measure the amount of support provided.
SHFB provides a parcel aiming to support its recipients for 7 days.
In the year to April 2023 SHFB supported a total of 565 people providing the equivalent of 11,865 meals.
This is an increase of 43% on demand April 2021 to April 2022, largely due to those struggling with cost of living increases and particularly higher energy prices.
Requests via the Food Bank telephone line have increased as awareness of the Food Bank continues to grow.
Who are we supporting?
We have a dedicated Food Bank telephone line held and managed by a single volunteer who receives calls and arranges for parcels to be made up and collected.
We also have a FB page and website, where people can make contact and request support.
We have good links with housing associations, social prescribers, social workers, Domestic Abuse Service, local surgeries and schools, all of whom refer people in need to us.
One of our strongest links has developed with Idsall School and their Pupil Premium Managers. We provide parcels for families in need identified by the school.
How do we operate?
We continue to receive a very steady stream of generous physical and financial donations to the food bank and are so grateful to all our supporters, including the Co-Op and Woods Drycleaners, who have collection points for people to drop their donations.
We have a very dedicated team of volunteers who are also part of the management committee for the food bank, meeting fortnightly to discuss the progress and development of the food bank operation.
We have a dedicated and growing group of volunteers, who are trained and take responsibility for the careful management of stock, receiving food donations and making up parcels, and meeting people as they collect their parcels.
What support/links do we have?
Huge thanks go to Rev Chris Thorpe and the PCC, for hosting and supporting the Food Bank in St Andrew’s Church, Shifnal. The support from local businesses, community groups and the public continues to be invaluable. Thank you.
We have links with the Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance. They provide very valuable support and sharing of information between other Shropshire food banks, providing links for training, Citizens Advice, mental health support networks and training, support with money worries, etc. We attend a monthly meeting where we share experiences, best practice and the Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance co-ordinator has key links with Shropshire Council and schemes.
We maintain strong links with Telford Crisis Support, who have provided invaluable guidance, best practice and on occasion overflow storage for donations.
We ran a Christmas Hamper project again in 2022 supporting over 70 families with food for a Christmas meal.
The Future?
SHFB aims to continue to respond and support the needs of struggling families, whilst ensuring that any support falls within the scope of our charitable objects.
We provide signposts and support for those whose need for food support stems from problems arising from poor mental health, rising energy prices and costs of living increases. We are monitoring demand and getting advice from our support networks.
We are so grateful to all our volunteers and trustees for the tremendous support the SHFB receives every day. It is the generosity and caring of the community of Shifnal supporting its most needy families that enables us to function. We all long for the day when we are no longer required, when families are not reliant on food banks to feed their families.
Catherine Rogers
Trustee and Secretary for Shifnal Help Food Bank
April 2023
SHIFNAL HELP FOOD BANK INCOME & EXPENDITURE SUMMARY
| 2021-22 | 2021-22 | Year 6/4/2022 to 5/4/2023 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INCOME | ||||||||
| 9,213 | Balance brought forward | £8,157.62 | ||||||
| - | Shifnal freemasons | 1,000.00 | ||||||
| - | Christmas Fayre - Tombola and cake rafe | 312.31 | ||||||
| - | Bank interest | 31.33 | ||||||
| 300 | Spotlight Accounting | - | ||||||
| 400 | NatWest compensation | - | ||||||
| 185 | St Andrews Choir | - | ||||||
| 1,668 | Numerous private donations and miscellaneous sales |
4,706.73 | 6,050.37 | |||||
| 11,766 | 14,207.99 | |||||||
| EXPENDITURE | ||||||||
| 2,298 | Food, toiletries etc purchased | 3,109.62 | ||||||
| 784 | Christmas hampers | 1,136.39 | ||||||
| 466 | Insurance | 466.40 | ||||||
| - | Rent | 1,000 | ||||||
| 60 | Telephone charges | 30.00 | ||||||
| - | Expenses claims - mileage, etc. | 217.35 | 5,959.76 | |||||
| £8,158 | Balance carried forward | £8,248.23 | ||||||
| Prepared by the Treasurer and examined by the Secretary. | ||||||||
| ……………………………… | Date ……………….. | |||||||
| Mrs C J Rogers | ||||||||
| NOTE: SHFB acknowledges the generosity of the Parochial Church Council of Shifnal by way | ||||||||
| of rental forgiveness at an ascribed value of £200 per month. |
1