Our Story
The Covid-19 pandemic, with its lock-downs and shielding of the vulnerable, raised concerns about how the housebound, and those losing jobs or income, would be able to put food on the table. A group of parishioners rose to the challenge and obtained food vouchers from Caritas and funding from the London Borough of Islington. From home deliveries of vouchers and food to the housebound, the foodbank rapidly expanded by January 2021 to giving out non-perishable foods, toiletries and household cleaning items every two weeks on a Saturday morning. Starting in the open air space between the Church and the Presbytery, which also housed the store, the foodbank moved into the Parish Centre in October 2022. By mid-2023, over 450 families or single people had registered with over 900 adults and 800 children.
As Covid subsided, the cost of living increased and we realised that food insecurity was worsening, not improving. The Foodbank decided to try to continue its operations, and, with encouragement from Caritas, to address social exclusion in our community.
The Centre enabled us to offer a hot drink (or a cool one in the summer), a meal and a chance to chat with other clients or volunteers. We carried out a pilot survey of our clients in March 2023 to better understand their needs. A large proportion of those registered come for only a brief period of time, perhaps in response to a temporary crisis such as loss of a job, or illness. However, an increasing number of clients now attend regularly. They are more likely to be women (65%), to be elderly (over 42% are over 65), with very limited incomes, and with chronic health issues.
The Foodbank is entirely staffed by volunteers from the wider Parish Community, who not only distribute supplies, but also do the shopping, transport, storing, accounts, administration, and fund-raising. A special group we want to acknowledge are the candidates from the Confirmation Class who have been regularly helping give out the items on Saturdays.
We very gratefully acknowledge financial support from the National Lottery Community Fund, from whom we have received three grants now; the London Borough of Islington, The Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal, Caritas Westminster (for technical advice as well as food vouchers), Islington Giving/The Cripplegate Foundation, and the Arsenal Foundation. Most important has been the ongoing financial support given by members of the Parish who have held fund-raisers, run half marathons, given food and other goods, as well as cash.
