Food bank

Dec 25, 2023

Please Support Nourish, Blandford’s Community Larder & Food Bank

Christmas is the best time of year for getting together with family and friends that we don’t see enough of! To enjoy eating and drinking lots of lovely local, seasonal Dorset produce together over the festive season. What could be better?

In the midst of all this happiness I would like to bring your attention to the needs of your local food bank at this time of year and the monumental task they all face. They’ve always worked hard and done a great job, but it’s been even more demanding for them over the last few years. The volume of families and individuals that the food banks are supporting and providing food for, is quite frankly, unbelievable.

Sadly since Covid, the world’s multiple global wars and the significant cost of living crisis, figures have doubled in the number of people using the food banks, which only highlights just how important they’ve become.

From January to November 2023, our local food bank here has given out 580 food parcels to our local Dorset community, taking care and supporting 918 adults and 483 children. Those figures are more than worrying.

February and March are tough months for food banks as there is often a lack of food being donated as everyone tightens their belts. Please remember that if you have leftovers in your home from Christmas celebrations, then it would be very appreciated if you pass it on to them. If your food is still in date then they are the place to give your excess supplies to. They especially need tins of meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, and sauces as well as tea, coffee and UHT milk. Anything with good nutritional value is invaluable to the food bank stocks.

I hate wasting food in any form so just have a quick look on Google and please find your food bank. I’m an avid supporter and know they will be very appreciative of anything edible that can help and make these very hard challenging times a little bit easier.

Happy Christmas everyone