At a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Bolsover Jim Hopkins of the Chesterfield Food Bank updated members and guests of the changing and expanding role of the charity.
Essentially Jim and his colleagues provide emergency food to people in crisis. Every day people in the region go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. A simple box of food makes a big difference, with food banks helping prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems.
Schools, churches, businesses and individuals donate non-perishable, in-date food to the food bank. Large collections often take place as part of Harvest Festival celebrations and food is also collected at supermarkets. Jim thanked the club for their donation that made it possible to buy a van to make the job of collection easier.
Jim Hopkins (centre) with Past President Keith Higginbottom and President Rita Reed of Rotary.
Volunteers sort food to check that it’s in date and pack it into boxes ready to be given to people in need. Over 100 people locally give up their time to volunteer at food banks.
Chesterfield Food bank partner with a wide range of care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers and police to identify people in crisis and issue them with a food bank voucher.
Foodbank clients bring their voucher to a foodbank centre where it can be redeemed for three days’ emergency food. Volunteers meet clients over a warm drink or free hot meal and are able to signpost people to agencies able to solve the longer-term problem. Club President Rita Reed thanked Jim for his presentation and was pleased the van had proved so useful.