Wellingborough charity thanks volunteers who have helped deliver 1,600 food bank parcels

A Wellingborough charity has thanked the volunteers who have helped deliver more than 1,600 food bank parcels during lockdown.

Last week the Northants Telegraph reported how Wellingborough Council has agreed to a community asset transfer of the Daylight Centre premises, which has been widely welcomed across the community.

Treasurer and trustee, James Bellamy, said: "This is great news for the charity.

"We have adapted our food bank services during the lockdown to a delivery rather than a collection service thanks to the ongoing support of so many of our volunteers.

"This community asset transfer enables us to move forward with our plans to adapt and provide the services that our clients need to enable them to find appropriate accommodation, expert support and ensure that they have food."

Since lockdown started, the charity has delivered more than 1,600 food bank parcels to people's doors and reports an increase in the food parcel requirements this year by 37 per cent.

This equates to more than 6.3 tonnes of redistributed food going out to people in need in the community.

In addition, a hot ready meal and snack pack service to the housed homeless and others in accommodation, often without cooking facilities, was launched.

From April to June, nearly 4,000 hot meals have been delivered to 11 emergency housed homeless venues across Wellingborough.

In May a new service, supporting families with a ready meal that can be cooked at home, from referrals to the foodbank, has delivered 1,145 meals to 44 different families.

James added: "None of this would be possible without our staff and volunteers doing what has been necessary to ensure we could meet the needs of our clients in the best way possible,

given the restrictions.

"I cannot begin to thank them enough for their help.

"Daylight relies on people who freely give their time and energy."

In addition the charity has extended its fundraising and looked at new models for finding those items for the food parcels, which was especially difficult during times when some food staples were hard to find.

One support group has had 18 village collection hubs for the centre generating 11,780 items in 10 weeks and raising more than £1,000.

Rachel Mallows MBE, chairman of the trustees, said: "People are generous in Wellingborough and want to look out for those in need, and this confirms that.

"Our charity shop hopes to open soon and this was widely supported by the community.

"We are also opening a new food bank warehouse so that we can store the food that we anticipate we will need for this year and into winter, so donations of food and funds are most

welcome."

For more information about The Daylight Centre click here or call 01933 446490.

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive.

We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you