Norwich foodbank: Update 204

Partners Meeting

We had a good time at our speed-dating style meeting last Tuesday, with our Financial Inclusion partners meeting 9 of our centre leaders. Some they know from in-person support, but others were brand new faces so it was a great opportunity to meet and share. One of our Shelter Partners said this: ‘Just wanted to say I really enjoyed the partners meeting today. The speed dating was a really innovative idea, and it was great to put some faces to names and learn more about the various locations that Norwich Foodbank operates from and meet some of the amazing volunteers.’ Another said ‘I think it was positive to have face to face conversations and I was then able to share the volunteers’ experiences and what they do on a daily basis with our team. This creates a better understanding of collaborative working and the impact it has.’ Rachael at Wymondham has kindly already sent out a message to the team there with the highlights of each agency’s service and Jon and I will be sending this out to all centres as a helpful reminder.

New Day Gifts

40 crates of ‘leftovers’ (Biblical analogy anyone?) was collected by Andy, Rachel and Justin last Saturday following the New Day event at the Norfolk Showground. We received a large variety of items including some from our most needed list, such as spreads and pot noodles – a great top-up to our stocks so very well received.

Tesco Blue Boar Success

We received 26 crates and just over £260 over the Friday and Saturday shifts and ran out of shopping lists (having printed several hundred!) so a great big thank you to all involved. We also made good use of the grab bags Tesco have made over the summer – and a very kind person bought the whole stand early on the first day so that was a wonderful start! We’ve got more collections coming up (Asda and Waitrose) so if you’re able to help again, look out for the sign up

Pathfinder Review

Norwich foodbank has been part of the Trussell Trust’s ‘Pathfinder’ programme (along with a further 51 foodbanks in the network) since 2020, meaning we are actively engaging in ways to end the need for our foodbanks. The programme is officially coming to an end next year, but with the idea that foodbanks will be able to sustain and grow the work that has been started and, most importantly, share learning and ideas with the other 400+ foodbanks in the network. We were pleased to know that over the last 5 years, people have visited us 1.8 times and in last 6 months 68% of people only come once – these numbers were deemed ‘excellent’ when compared to the rest of the network and shows the results of having the in-person support in our foodbanks – volunteers and partners. Thank you!

How long have you volunteered with us…?

Norwich foodbank has been operating since 2010 and I know some of you have been with us since that time or shortly afterwards. I would love to make a montage / vocal collage (?!) of clips of you saying the year you began with us, so for example ‘My name is Hannah and I’ve been with the foodbank since 2014.’ (my example attached). I have done this with some of you, but if you are able and willing, please send a Whatsapp voice note to my mobile 07955920590 saying simply ‘my name is * and I have been a volunteer with the foodbank since 20**’ If you are a partner – i.e. not a volunteer, please say ‘… and I have been involved with the foodbank since…’ or something similar. Lots of you were involved in the photo introductions I did asking about your favourite biscuit, hope for the future (Julian is still cross with me about that question!) and how long you’ve been a volunteer, so this is another angle.

No Lone Working

Thank you to all of you who go out to cars in pairs when helping clients with a box, wait for the rest of the team to arrive before opening up and generally ensure there are very few (if any!) opportunities for any volunteer to be working on their own. This is not only to safeguard against potential issues any of us could face with a client, but also to safeguard ourselves from potential injury or risk. If you know of instances where you personally or other team members may be on their own, please do let Jon or myself know as a matter of urgency so we can help understand the situation and what we can put in place to support you / them or the team.

STORY of encouragement:

From one of our on-site partners: ‘On Thursday I met a new chap at NCBC who was clearly at the end of his tether. Everything had gone wrong for him – some initially of his own doing, some just by circumstance – and he now lives in a shared emergency housing flat with effectively nothing. The final straw for him was that they have a shared kitchen, and his food always got blatantly stolen by another tenant – hence needing the foodbank. I’m helping him on some longer-term bits now, but I was able to source him a mini-fridge that he can keep in his room – and dropped it into him a couple of days after meeting. He text “I’VE SLEPT SO WELL. I REALLY CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH”.

Happy Friday everyone and weekend too when it arrives. Thanks as always for what we are able to do together

Hannah