Winchester Basics Bank reveals progress and projects to combat growing demand for the foodbank amid the cost of living crisis

The main takeaway from Winchester Basics Bank’s annual meeting was how they can support people who have never had to consider the emergency charity before and assure them that it’s okay to ask for help.

Since Winchester Basics Bank first opened in 2004, it has seen its breadth of users increase as more and more people struggle to make ends meet. Originally, the foodbank would cater mainly to homeless people but now around 80 per cent of its users are families and includes people in employment.

On Wednesday, September 21 staff, trustees and volunteers and supporters of the charity gathered at Winchester Vineyard Church to reflect on the past year and look forward to how they will manage through the ongoing economic crisis.

In August, numbers using the charity soared back to peak pandemic levels with nearly double the monthly average at 432 clients on top of the school holiday programme which gives additional support.

The meeting was opened by director and chair Mike Whitehead who passed onto the new patron, former Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire, David Innes OBE, who was appointed earlier this year. He said: “The work of Winchester Basics Bank is more important than ever.

“The pandemic forced all of us to look deeply into our own lives to see what we might be able to do to help those people who weren’t so fortunate.”

Operations manager, Sam Watts, describes the service like A&E as no one wants to need it but sometimes it’s a necessity. The food bank works closely with the local community food pantries who provide £15 worth of shopping for £5, for people who aren’t in emergency need but require a helping hand on a longer term basis.

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To enable people to have easy access to the charity, WBB has continued the self-referral process that was set up in the pandemic when referral agents like schools and councils were closed.

The operations manager said: “The first-time people come to us they are often really embarrassed. Most people don’t want to have to admit that they need assistance. If people are reluctant to use us we tell them that when they’re back on their feet that they can pay it forward and even donate to a different charity.

“We’re trying to do everything we can to make Winchester a more user-friendly place for those on lower incomes.”

In April 2021, the charity opened a sorting and storage site in Winnall to have a space away from clients to categorise food into crates before distribution. The site at Garbare House was described as “a great long-term step forward, and an enabler to offer a better service from our food hubs.”

The basics bank has also expanded its home delivery services to make the service more accessible and the school holiday lunch scheme now includes Christmas and Easter as well as the summer holidays.

The team worked hard to provide 240 weeks of lunches in the summer 2022 holiday, including an evening and Saturday collection to work round working parents. Following feedback that “kids don’t like tinned veg” the team provided £5 Tesco food vouchers instead so they could purchase fresh fruit and veg. The team also produced recipes to go along with each food bag.

While many foodbanks across the country are struggling with decreasing donations, the Winchester charity has received a relatively constant flow of donations and recent funding grants have allowed staff to purchase food too.

Recently, a self-selection area has been developed so clients can pick some items for themselves. Trustee Leona Mani added: “We’ve now started giving our clients choice rather than a fixed bag of food which gives them a bit more engagement in the whole experience, allowing them to feel more like they’re shopping.”

Currently, WBB is working towards the harvest collections which will take place all year round and not just the Autumn. The contributing churches have been scheduled at different times within the year to keep a constant flow of donations.  

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A new electric van, hoped to be in place in October, will provide more practical transport for short delivery journeys and aims to increase the flexibility of the service.

The charity continues to work with City of Sanctuary organisations, looking after refugees by providing food and clothing as well as supporting local food pantries at the Carroll Centre in Stanmore and Unit 12 in Winnall with staples.

Winchester Basics Bank has four collection hubs open at various points Monday-Friday including Winchester Vineyard Church in Bar End, Penton Place in Milland Road, St Gregory’s Church in Alresford and St Barnabas Church in Weeke.

For more on the foodbank and clothes provider go to winchesterbasicsbank.co.uk/.