We are pleased to report that some of our food bank clients have returned to work, and we have received a small number of grateful messages saying ‘thanks for helping us when we were really desperate but we’ve been able to go back to work this week’.
But the numbers of local people claiming emergency help seems to remain constant. As the food bank is able to sign off some clients, new ones are referred by Rother District Council and other agencies. This week we again distributed about two tonnes of food to 101 adults and 98 children.
Over 90% of the food distributed by food banks in the Trussell Trust network is donated by the public – that’s why your food donations are absolutely vital to our ability to give everyone referred to us in Rye a balanced and nutritious three day supply of food. Without your goodwill, our food bank would really struggle to operate.
A typical parcel of food for a family includes:
- cereal
- soup
- pasta
- rice
- tinned tomatoes / pasta sauce
- lentils, beans and pulses
- tinned meat
- tinned vegetables
- tea / coffee
- tinned fruit
- biscuits
- UHT milk
- fruit juice
Thanks to the Hands of Hope Charity who have contributed fresh organic produce grown in their gardens at Hawkhurst.
Items we need next week are tinned meat of any sort, as we are very low on supplies of items such as corned beef, hot dogs, and beef stew. We also need vegetables, UHT milk and size 6 babies nappies.
If you can help us with these items that would be so appreciated. Donations of non-perishable, in-date tinned food can be received at the back of the Baptist Church in Cinque Ports Street on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am until about 3pm.
We would also appreciate household goods which we have in short supply
Donations can be sent to the Rye Branch of Bexhill Food Bank at Barclays bank, sort code 20-54-25, account number 83501116, the Jempson Foundation or cheques to Rye Food Bank c/o 24 North Salts, Rye.
Image Credits: Mags Ivatts .
Nice article Mags, thank you for keeping everyone informed.
Just one point: typically only 10-15% of the food we distribute is donated. The rest (85-90%) has to be purchased from supermarkets. That’s why we need financial donations to keep us in operation.
Ashley Madden
Thank you for your observation.
Please be assured that no facts about the Foodbank, or anything else, is published in Rye News without verifying accuracy and thorough checking by the Editor and team of sub-editors.
This particular fact is reported on the Trussell Trust website, which was my source for that paragraph of the article. The sentence refers to the Trussell Trust network.
Perhaps you’ve misunderstood and don’t appreciate that everything provided for our clients comes from the generous donations of our local community. Either directly or indirectly, all food and funding is provided by the local community and their incredible generosity is impressive and quite breathtaking.
We, the team of volunteers, always wish to emphasise our appreciation of the fabulous genorosity of the people of Rye.
Hi Margaret (since we seem gone formal),
My apologies, I assumed you were referring to Rye Food Bank. After all, it is an article in Rye News and the sentence does say “in Rye”.
Your statement is correct for the Trussell Trust (national) network but is not true for Rye Food Bank. For some reason, the reverse applies here (approximately 15% of food is donated and 85% is purchased). It would be interesting to know why Rye is so different from the national picture.
To the innocent bystander, this may seem academic but the significance is that we (in Rye Food Bank) are very dependent on financial donations to make ends meet. ALL donations are welcome no matter how large or small, financial or physical and no matter where they’re from. Many of our benefactors are from the wider community beyond Rye and their support is much appreciated too. Every contribution helps us feed the hungry in their time of need.
Thank you!