Weston Foodbank is looking for a bigger site to store food for those in need

A NEW charity which will be proving food packages for struggling families in Weston is looking for a bigger base so it can assist everyone who needs help.

Weston Foodbank has been set up to provide nutritional meals for those in crisis who do not know where their next meal is going to come from.

Agencies in the town will be able to issue food vouchers which can be swapped for an emergency food box, which will supply three days-worth of nutritionally-balanced tinned and dried food.

The charity has already been given half a ton of food, thanks to generous staff and customers at Asda in Weston and the Co-op in Worle, who donated items to the cause.

However, organisers say they need at least two-and-a-half tons of food to cope with the influx of people they expect will need to use the service.

Manager Ian Fraser said: “We’ve got half a ton of food, which is great, but it is only enough for about 40 families. This means we could run out after a month.

“There are two foodbanks in Bristol and on the second day one of them opened they had 60 people asking for help.

“Two foodbanks a week are opening up around the country and there are now more than 100 altogether. Foodbanks have found they have had about a 30 per cent increase in people coming to them over the past year, mainly because of benefit issues.

“When we launch in September we need about two-and-a-half tons of food so we’ve got enough to meet what could potentially be an influx.”

The Foodbank is currently based at the back of the Lighthouse Cafe in Pier Square. A commissioning service for the new charity was held at the site on Thursday and members of agencies across the district, including North Somerset Council, the police and NS Housing, turned up to support the worthy cause.

Bakers Dolphin has given the Pier Square premises to the charity free of charge until September and organisers are very grateful to the firm.

However, the charity is now looking for a second base to open up a warehouse to store extra supplies.

Ian said: “We need two-and-a-half tons of food to cope with demand on a weekly basis. Ideally we’d like to have a base in the town where people can pick up the food boxes as well as a warehouse nearby where we can store supplies.”

Food donations can be dropped off at the Salvation Army, Milton Baptist Church, Bristol Road Baptist Church, Living Oasis, St Paul’s Church and the Lighthouse Cafe.

Anyone interested in supporting the charity by providing it with a new base can call Weston Foodbank on 07938 985502 or email info@wsmfoodbank.org.uk