Building Relations with Local Food Bank

Two years ago Wendy White of Clifton, Nottingham, recognised a need to help struggling families in the area. Through her inspired efforts and leadership Wendy and her team of volunteers established a food bank in St. Francis Church of England premises in Clifton. The Hope Pentecostal church, of which Wendy is a member uses the same premises.

A few months later, Ken Goddard, a local leader of the Nottingham 1^st congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, felt inspired to offer assistance. Now on the third Saturday of every month two members from the congregation drive to the Sainsbury’s store in Beeston to collect a huge amount of bread. This is delivered to the food bank from where it is distributed to local needy families and shared with other charities in the Nottingham area such as The Salvation Army and The Friary Centre.

While the need for food banks has created much political and media debate the Clifton food bank has seen a growing use. As Wendy’s husband Jason says “We are not interested in the politics, we see empty bellies that need filling”. Relationships have been established with well known high street names such as Sainsburys, ASDA and Boots who make regular donations of supplies to the charity.

Although these donations of food and other essentials cater for a lot of the needs some food has to be purchased from the charity's own funds. In an effort to bolster those funds over the Christmas period the food bank decided to organise a bazaar which would have a Santa’s grotto. Men from the Nottingham congregation were asked to assist in setting this up and Bishop Turner decided to go the extra mile and build one, enlisting the joinery skills of President Paul Smith of the Nottingham Stake Presidency, (area leader).

With the assistance and donation of items from local members the grotto was set up for the bazaar on Saturday 6th December. Wendy was able to report that the event raised in excess of £600 for the charity.