Excelsior Lodge No 3580 secretary Robert Jones visited South Liverpool Foodbank, which is part of the Trussell Trust, who are based at the Bridge Chapel Centre, and met with Nicola Hawkes, the South Liverpool Foodbank Coordinator. There, Robert handed over two cheques to the sum of £280 from the lodge charity funds.
The foodbank is supported by 25 volunteers based at Bridge Chapel Centre and there are six centres in Liverpool and it is estimated that in March they were supporting 1,300 families. The month of May has already seen an increase of 35% with families applying for the first time for the food voucher scheme due to an increase in unemployment.
The foodbank works with a range of local agencies who meet people at risk of going hungry, these agencies include; Citizen’s Advice, children’s centres and health visitors, who refer them to the foodbank by issuing them with vouchers.
A typical food parcel contains a minimum of three days of nutritionally balanced non-perishable, tinned and dried foods and basic toiletries that have been donated by the local community and organisations. The food parcels are adapted to meet special dietary requirements including people with diabetes, gluten intolerance, vegetarians and halal.
Before the Woolton and Garston Group’s request for donations, Excelsior Lodge had decided to make this donation to the foodbank and all lodges and chapters where possible should raise funds to donate to this great cause. For more information about South Liverpool Foodbank, click here.
