Your Stories
Kings Heath Food Bank
What do you do?
We invited a speaker to come to one of our monthly “Brunch” sessions and speak to us about the B30 Food bank, based around 2 miles from our church.
She came and talked to us one Sunday morning, describing how the project resulted from cooperation between three neighbouring churches of different denominations who combined their resources, sharing premises, selling surplus buildings and opening this and other joint community projects.
She told us about the origins of the Trussell Trust, which supports most of the food banks now operating in the UK, and described the stories behind some of the local people they support.
We decided to support the food bank by collecting donations of tinned and packaged food.
How much work is
involved?
How long has it been running?
At Kings Heath Meeting we put a large box out for people's donations and one of our members, Jean, collects these donations together once in about every five weeks and takes them to Cotteridge Church.
We have been doing collections for several years now.
Have you had a good
response?
Doing the collection delivery has inspired one of our members, Jean, to volunteer at the food bank. “I could see there was a great need here, and, as the Church where the Food bank was held was in my local area I went along.
I did the training and started to attend the sessions. We used to talk to the people who came. It was necessary for a person needing food to obtain a voucher from their doctor or the Neighbourhood Office. They came to the Cotteridge Church, which is home to several denominations, one being Church of England, and one of us would chat with them and find out how many people were in the family. How many children?
Other details required were any special dietary requirements etc After the form was filled in it was taken down to the basement where the food collection was at that time. The people down there then made up a supply of food for the family.
I am always welcomed with open arms. B30 Foodbank is a wonderful organisation.” Here is a face book post from the grateful food bank: Extra comfort from a special donation Jean Smith came in to the food bank this week to deliver a regular donation from the Christadelphian Church in Kings Heath. It was only after Jean had left and we were unpacking the generous collection, which weighed almost 50kg, that we found a beautiful, hand-crocheted baby blanket.
We are pleased to say that within minutes of the discovery, a client with a baby just a few weeks old came in and she was delighted to take the work of art home with her new baby. Thanks to all at the Christadelphian Church who contribute and special thanks to the skilled crocheter from one happy mum and baby.
What's the cost
involved?
All the items are donated by individual members so no cost to the ecclesia.
Any training
needed?
No. We have a list given to us by the food bank of what they need and at times we are asked for special items such as Christmas gifts, Easter eggs for the clients or they may have a shortage in the warehouse of certain items.
