Vacancy at Dorking Food Bank - January 2022
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On Sunday 5th December we will be holding a
Christmas Food Collection to add to our food bags this Christmas time.
Please bring donations to church on Sunday 5th December, or drop them off in our Reception area during the week before.
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Letter Received 30th November
Dear all at St Paul's Church
I am writing to thank you and your congregation for your recent harvest donations to the Dorking Area Foodbank. We recorded that together you donated a wonderful 156kg of food and other produce. The Dorking Area Foodbank is continuing to provide emergency food parcels to families and individuals who are finding it difficult to afford basic supplies. The current climate of rising food prices and costs of living is making life particularly difficult for many. We will use all your donations to help fill up our food parcels that we distribute to those in need over the coming months. We would not be able to do this without the support of community groups such as yours. We are incredibly grateful for all your support. Please pass on our appreciation to your congregation for their kindness and generosity. We wish you all a happy and healthy festive season.
Yours sincerely,
Sue Mackenzie
Volunteer On behalf of Dorking Area Foodbank
Dorking Area Foodbank (updated 3rd Dec)
If you are not currently visiting supermarkets to leave donations there, please leave your items in the Food Basket which is now located outside St Paul's Church in the South Porch - collections/transport to the food bank is taking place frequently.
Thank you.
This week we would like you to focus on: (
Click here for a full list of requested items)
Tinned veg
Jars of pasta sauce (500g)
Tea bags (40s and 80s)
Vegetarian tinned meals
500g bags of sugar
Toilet roll 4 packs
Harvest Update:
Thank you for supporting our local foodbank in previous years with your harvest donations and we would very much welcome your support again this year.
There's still a demand for a local foodbank
The Dorking foodbank has now been open for over five years and unfortunately there is a still a need for a foodbank in our area. From the beginning, this has very much been a community project, with local people, churches and schools very generously supporting it. We have donation points in supermarkets and churches and every week people kindly give food to ensure we can provide emergency food parcels. These are distributed to local people identified by our Referral Agencies as being unable to put food on the table. We also provide 'holiday boost bags' and run holiday 'pop ups' to support the growing issue of holiday hunger among local families who really struggle when their children are on school holidays and don't receive their daily free school meal.
What's in a food parcel
The purpose of an emergency food parcel is to enable people to make nutritious meals to sustain them for three days. Our 'shopping list' details the items that we can include in a food parcel. This is important guidance as although people are so very generous, there are some things that unfortunately we just can't use.
Can you please ask that only items on our preferred shopping list are donated. We have prepared the attached flyer and poster for you to use that covers the shopping list items to help communicate this message.
We respectfully request that all donated items are non-perishable, unopened and in date. Also that they have a Best Before Date of 2021 or beyond. Unfortunately we cannot accept homemade products.
And thank you!
Your generosity at harvest time is always greatly appreciated and the foodbank is very grateful for your support.
We have food, so please continue to signpost those who are struggling financially to come down to the Foodbank. They don’t need to bring a red voucher. The red voucher system has been suspended. The Foodbank opening times have been amended. They are Tuesdays 4.45pm-5.45pm and Thursdays 2.30pm-3.30pm