Haywards Heath foodbank working on delivery only basis

A spokesman for the service revealed in the eight years the food bank has been running it has helped more than 11,500 clients and provided more than 103,000 meals to the town and surrounding villages.

He said: “In that time this amazingly generous community of ours has donated nearly 92,000kgs (92 tons) of food, with 89,000kgs (89 tons) being distributed to those in crisis or need.

“We are very grateful to all the front line professional organisations which make up our agency network which identify the plight of those in need and refer them to HHFB.”

The service was temporarily suspended on March 23 but reopened on Wednesday April 8 as a delivery only service.

The spokesman added: “The new model is now based on a delivery only service because of current restrictions plus health and safety considerations for our volunteers and clients.

“We have relocated to other premises and our old premises on Sussex Road are closed until further notice.

“Deliveries of basic food supplies are initially on Wednesdays and Fridays to families which are in crisis, unable to afford food, and have been referred to us via the CAB, Family Centres, Schools, GP surgeries, wellbeing groups and many others in our agency network, using a new system of electronic vouchers.

“The setting up of Haywards Heath Emergency Food Hub as a complementary service is welcome, as it broadens the reach and enables many more people to be fed, and we are able to refer agencies to them in the event of our reaching capacity at the time of referral.”

HHFB said it welcomed the support of Haywards Heath Town Council and Mid Sussex District Council which is underwriting much of its additional costs, plus providing access to transport for deliveries to clients.

The spokesman added: “We want to make this new delivery model sustainable and welcome the support of the incredible generosity of the community in Haywards Heath and nearby villages remains undiminished since opening in April 2012, and today is even greater.

“Money donations continue, and the response to an appeal to donate non-perishable food at new food collection points throughout the area has been outstanding.

“The trustees and all volunteers of HHFB want to express their enormous gratitude for all the help and positive support of the community.

“We look forward to an end to the coronavirus crisis, and in the longer term we look forward in particular to an end to poverty.

“In the meantime we will continue to do all we can to ensure that there will be food on the table for the many in our community in crisis or need.”

To donate money visit https://haywardsheath.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-money/ and to donate food see https://haywardsheath.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/

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