Local Foodbank Sees Increase In Requests For Help From Chiswick

Those in need of help come from all walks of life

Hounslow Community Foodbox has appealed to Chiswick residents to donate food as it is very short of supplies, due to rising demand for its foodboxes in the summer holidays.

This is because families whose children avail of free school meals during term time, find themselves in difficulties during the holidays,

Donations can be left at the Citizen's Advice Bureau in Chiswick (behind the Town Hall) or at the Foodbox office in Brentford.

There has been a trend of increasing requests for help from people living in Chiswick in the past two years, according to spokesperson Oonah Lacey.

She said that those who use the system come from all walks of life. They can be people who are out of hospital with physical or mental health issues, or bereaved people who are short of money, or even people in affluent areas who may have the asset of a large house but a very small pension and cannot make ends meet. There are also several families with young children who rely on the food boxes to get them through the week.

"We do have a lot of help from corporate bodies who donate food and staff often come and volunteer. We are not funded by anyone so we are dependent on people to help us and at the moment we are under a lot of pressure as demand is increasing. Recipients being given a voucher by one of FoodBox’s referral partners. Recipients can then exchange this voucher for a food package.

One recent development is that homeless people from the Chiswick area have sought help from the Foodbox.

One cause for concern, she added, was a trend by major supermarkets to start selling more discounted food to the public, which would previously have been donated to foodbanks. This was a national trend, she added, not specific to the Hounslow borough.

They welcome donations of either cash, cheque or bank transfer- use gift aid! Contact 07718263614 or email info@hounslowfoodbox.org.uk

"Foodbox is not just for Christmas, because there is no indication that demand will reduce."

Hounslow Community Foodbox was set up in 2013 and is based in Brentford because the Council provided an unused community centre as a storage and collection point. However one of their referral partners is Chiswick Citizens Advice Bureau and they have a drop off point in their office in Chiswick Town Hall.

FoodBox’s referral partners are professionals or volunteers working in the community such as children’s centres, Citizens Advice Bureau, GPs, housing associations, Jobcentre Plus and London Borough of Hounslow Housing Strategy and Solutions, and Adult Social Care and Children’s Services.

Food packages contain non-perishable essentials such as pasta, rice and tinned food. The food package should last the recipient and their household around three days.

This page is sponsored by Express Property Services who support community initiatives in Chiswick

 

August 25, 2019