Food bank gets ready for busy Christmas
THE food bank at Holy Trinity Church is stocking up for a busy Christmas as the number of people it helps triples.
The service is fronted by Sue Le Friec, a community worker at the church.
‘The way we operate is we work with people who are registered with us as clients – these are low-income people or families who need our support,’ Mrs Le Friec said.
It is the largest food bank in Guernsey and organised through the Guernsey Welfare Service.
‘During December we are very busy and, instead of our usual cupboard space, we operate from a whole room to manage demand,’ said Mrs Le Friec. ‘So far we’ve had masses of donations from all sorts of people, offices, schools and pubs.’
Despite the plentiful donations, there is always demand for more.
‘Normally we see around 25 to 30 people per week, although at Christmas this increases to around 80 people per week,’ said Mrs Le Friec.
In December, the service gives out extra treats, including chocolates and mince pies.
‘We see a lot of people who need the help throughout the year, though it is slightly busier now compared to other months of the year,’ Mrs Le Friec said.
‘It’s quite easy to live in Guernsey and not notice that there are so many people struggling for basic necessities.’
As well as fresh food, there are also fuel, heating, household necessities, baby products and clothing vouchers available to those who need them.
Children can receive a gift at Christmas if they have been registered to receive one from 1 September to 31 October.
‘We are more of a man in the middle, because essentially it comes down to individuals who bring in items to donate,’ Mrs Le Friec said, ‘if you are in need of some help please come and see us.’
Items may be dropped at the church from 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday, or at any of its many satellite collection points.
These include the majority of churches and various other places listed on the GVS website.
‘We would like to say thank you very much to all of our wonderfully generous donors and we strongly encourage anyone who is struggling to contact us.’
. If you would like to know more please email sue@trinitygsy.org or call 07839 724300.
