A CHARITY that offers a vital service to those in need will be opening a third centre in Braintree due to increasing demand – it’s now calling for more volunteers to join.
The Braintree Area Foodbank will open a new facility in Market Street, allowing individuals experiencing food poverty to access the charity’s services six days a week across all its sites.
The opening is supported with help from Braintree Council's Cost of Living Fund.
The facility will be open from 10am to 1pm on Saturdays, providing much-needed food resources to people that use the foodbank.
An opening date has not been confirmed yet, but the organisation is hoping to launch in March and is pleading for new volunteer staff to undertake manual handling work to help run the centre.
A centre manager, deputy centre manager, signposters, general centre helpers and drivers are needed to support the forthcoming launch.
The charity manager Lee Ranson said: “We are really excited to be able to open this new centre and it has been something Braintree Area Foodbank has wanted to do for a long time.
“Hunger doesn’t exist just five days a week during working hours people face hardship twenty-four-seven.
“We are continually seeing the number of clients visiting us increase year on year and being able to open this centre will make a difference to the local community.
“We have only been able to do this due to the grant from Braintree District Councils Cost of Living Fund have recognised the need within the district.”
The Braintree Area Foodbank was formed in 2012, seeded by The Trussell Trust, and has distribution centres in Braintree, Witham, Halstead, and Great Notley.
Its open centres directly in Braintree are St Paul’s Church, in Hay Lane South, at 10am till noon, and the Christ Church Methodist United Reformed Church, in London Road, Thursdays and Fridays at the same time.
The running costs for the foodbank is around £50,000 per year.
Costs include a warehouse to sort and store donated food, pack the boxes of food for distribution, a van to pick up donated food to deliver to the centres.
Other overheads such as staffing, council tax, utilities and insurances are also included in the figure.
Anyone interested in volunteering or who would like more information should contact pm@braintreearea.foodbank.org.uk or call Lee on 01376 330694.
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