We are very pleased to announce that we have been successful in securing funding through Feeding Bristol* for our St Werburghs Foodshare.

St Werburghs Foodshare supports families in the local area by providing them with food parcels and other weekly necessities. With food and energy prices rising, food poverty in Bristol is only predicted to increase and the families using the service are more in need than ever of the resources we provide.

The Foodshare service supplies 2 full bags of filling and nutritious food to families each week, as well as essential cleaning and sanitary items worth roughly £20. There is a choice for families to help themselves to our ‘shop’ in order to give individuals a greater choice and give more suitable range of foods for their families.  Each week families can make an optional £3 donation towards their bags to help with the sustainability of the project.

We have many single parent families but also a fair number with a large number of children. We spoke with the families recently and:

• 100% of members said the project helped their mood/happiness;
• 89% said they felt less isolated;
• 94% said this had improved their wellbeing, including their health.

With increased pressure on families with the recession and cost of living crisis, we have seen a steady increased uptake since October, with at least one family signing up per week plus referrals from other struggling food support services. We have found, especially after Christmas, our numbers have seen a sharp increase in the past few weeks. We are very conscious that we remain fair and able to give the first to the last person though our doors the same service and amount of food and toiletries. This become harder when there are more people than you had anticipated within a week.

We know that having access to this project has taken away some of the stress that these families face. Currently, the project benefits from food from Fareshare, the Community Farm just outside Bristol and we buy key items from supermarkets. In turn, by increasing the access to local food the projects plays a role in helping to reduce food waste in the city.

With this extra funding, we can ensure that there is always a back stock of food that can be given out even if our fresh food has run out or massively reduced. Ensuring that no person goes hungry that week.

If your children attend a local school and you are struggling with money you can sign up to the Foodshare by emailing office@stwerburghs.org.uk or calling 0117 955 1351. We ask for a £3 suggested donation each week for the service.

How you can help

Our Foodshare launch was made possible through the generous support of Burges Salmon, for which we are incredibly grateful. However we do now rely on the continued support of our community. Here’s how you can help:

• Donate food and essentials: donations of non-perishable food and other essentials from our Wishlist are always welcome and can be left at reception in a clearly labelled box.
• Contribute to our fundraiser: visit our Go Fund Me page. All donations will help to secure the food parcels needed by families in our community.
• Tell your friends: share our crowdfund and Wishlist on social media.
• Network: do you know a business who might like to help with supplies or funding? Tell them about us too.
• Volunteer: if you are interested in volunteering or would like to find out more, contact office@stwerburghs.org.uk.

*This funding is part of the Household Support Fund (HSF) on behalf of Bristol City Council, in line with the One City Food Equality Strategy and Action Plan (FESAP).