How and why we started
Our History
In 2012 groups in the community agencies came together to look at rising food insecurity within Bassetlaw. It was becoming evident that more people had to rely on food banks to prevent hunger. The response to this was to open Bassetlaw Food Bank.
Food Insecurity
Sadly hundreds of people across Bassetlaw are finding it impossible to make ends meet. Many suffer in silence, too embarrassed to speak to anyone, instead skipping meals as a result. In 2022 we supported 2,304 households with emergency food parcels. We know this is a fraction of those in need.
There is no single reason why people find themselves experiencing food insecurity. Redundancy, illness, benefit delays, debt, zero-hours contracts and domestic violence are just some of the reasons why people, many of whom are families with children, are referred to us. The ongoing cost of living crisis has only made things more difficult. More households are turning to food banks, including many who have never needed to before.
Support & Funding
Bassetlaw Food Bank is powered by a team of volunteers, who do everything from collecting and sorting donations, to packing and delivering food parcels. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to function.
The charity does not receive any formal funding. We rely on donations of stock to fill our parcels, and money to cover our expenses. We are a charity for the community, backed by our community!
Food Bank Manager:
Robert Garland – info@bassetlawfoodbank.org