Vicar sets up foodbank to help borough’s desperate families

FOOD for thought: the Rev David Hawthorn, from St Margaret’s and St Chad’s Church, Hollinwood, with a three-day food parcel

OLDHAM’S first borough-wide foodbank is being set up to help struggling residents in desperate circumstances.

The Rev David Hawthorn, vicar of St Margaret’s and St Chad’s Church, Hollinwood, is setting up the Oldham Foodbank in response to the number of people coming to him in crisis — victims of the tough economic climate.

He said: “We’ve always had people come to the vicarage asking for help but over the past eight or nine months, I’ve been getting callers asking for food.

“Rather than homeless people or drug addicts, some of these are people in work.

“There are others who have been made redundant, who have few savings, and others who have hit short-term problems.”

The Oldham Foodbank, which plans to launch in March, will see people given three-days worth of non-perishable food as long as they have been referred by agencies, social services, GPs or charities.

Volunteers will direct people to other organisations for additional help if they need it.

Mr Hawthorn said: “Recently, we helped an older gentleman who was taken into hospital.

“While being treated, his benefits were stopped and he was discharged with no money.

“It was going to be three days before any support was sorted out for him and he had no food in the house and no one to turn to but the church.

“Everyone juggles life and bills as best they can but an unexpected cost, such as a boiler breaking, will mean some people forced to choose between food and warmth.”

Although similar schemes are run in the borough for asylum seekers and the homeless, this is the only project set to help facing short-term problems from across all communities.

The Trussell Trust charity, which runs around 100 foodbanks across the country, will be on hand to provide advice and train volunteers.

Mr Hawthorn is now appealing for Oldham organisations and businesses to help him find suitable premises, and for Oldham residents to become volunteers and to donate non-perishable food stuff.

Mr Hawthorn said: “Letters have gone out to the leader of the council, opposition leader, Mayor and MPs as well as various agencies.

“We would urge as many GPs as possible to get involved to refer someone to the project.

“We are being a bit cheeky and are asking for a lot of things from the community, from premises to volunteers and food donations, but I’m confident this project will work.

“In fact, it has to happen simply because there is such a need.

“People ask ‘why do you need a foodbank in this day and age?’, but it could happen to anyone at any time, it could be you or I in need.

“It’s a sad reflection of the times that these places have to be established, but that said, what is the alternative?

To volunteer or for more information call the Parish Office on 0161 682 5106 or the Vicarage on 0161 681 4541.


The project is looking for...
Premises, such as a warehouse, from which to run the foodbank plus cafe area for a peppercorn rent (or free) for at least 12 months

Volunteers who will be required to attend the training sessions that the Trussell Trust themselves deliver. Also, volunteers to collect food, sort food into parcels or be a driver.
Donations. People are invited to buy one extra item during their weekly shop and take it to a drop off point. This could be tinned vegetables, meat, stews or fish, UHT milk, pasta, tea and coffee, sugar, packet mash and pasta sauces.