Need for Dorking's food bank higher than expected after first month

Comments (0)

THE full extent of food poverty in Dorking has been highlighted after the town's first food bank was inundated with people needing its help in the first month.

Organisers had been told to expect a slow start when the project was launched last month.

But the take-up has been much higher than expected. So far volunteers have provided three days' food to 60 people and families in four weeks – many more than projected numbers.

But members also say they have been buoyed by the willingness of the community to help out, with 80 volunteers signed up.

A number of businesses and supermarkets have also got behind the project, with Waitrose and Tesco hosting collection points along with churches and schools, while Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer have also agreed to host collections when needed.

The idea to start a food bank for Dorking originally came last year after a report by Voluntary Action Mid-Surrey found that in some parts of the town, mostly in the south, one in three children was living in poverty, while families were being forced to travel to food banks in towns like Leatherhead.

After publication of the report a group, led by Churches Together in Dorking, began work to set up a food bank along with volunteers, the Citizens Advice Bureau and a £1,500 grant from the Trussell Trust, which supports food banks nationwide.

And just one month after the service launched the need for it is more than obvious.

Rosemary Elias, chairman of the action group behind the project, said: "The Dorking Area Food Bank has had an unusually high initial take up.

"We're very grateful to our volunteers and to all who have donated food or helped in so many other ways. They've made it possible for us to help local people in real need."

A collection week has been running this week in Tesco and on Saturday shoppers will be able to buy and donate selected foods from supermarket shelves.

John Pilkington, who is in charge of food bank collections, said he was amazed by the initial take-up of the service.

"Before we started out we visited other food banks that were up and running and they all told us to expect a slow beginning in terms of distributing food out to folks," he said.

"The fact that we have had such a demand right at the beginning has surprised us, and thanks to the good people of Dorking and our wonderful supermarkets we are able to be generous to people who are going through a difficult time."

The Trussell Trust said the figures experienced by the Dorking food bank were "considerably higher" than average for a newly opened food bank in a town the size of Dorking.

James Milton, the trust's southern England network manager, added: "It is good news that Dorking Area Food Bank has been able to help so many local people after opening its doors only a month ago.

"These figures underline that many people are still in crisis and living precariously despite the economy recovery. Without the help of the amazing work local charity-run food banks do they would have nowhere else to turn."

The food bank, in The Christian Centre, High Street, is open Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Email info@dorkingarea.food bank.org.uk or call 01306 887697.

Source: Need for Dorking's food bank higher than expected after first month