Dudley food bank celebrates a decade of helping
A church food bank has been reflecting on a decade of serving its community.
Refresh Foodbank has been serving people all across Dudley from its base at Castlegate Church in the town centre.
The foodbank opened on June 11, 2010 and fed 725 people in its first year, a figure which has grown through the years to 3,980 people last year.
It has given out a combined total of 28,471 kilos of food and 3,556 kilos of toiletries in the last 10 years, reflecting a growing demand for foodbank services.
Pastor Craig Bennett, the head of Castlegate Church from Dudley, said the foodbank was a vital part of the community.
He said: “I really do think it’s a good thing that the foodbank has been able to provide a service for local people in need for the last 10 years.
“It shows the practical way of Christian witness and how to show the love of Jesus to people and it’s a vital service within the church.
“If the demand is there, we’ll continue to help and facilitate that need and make sure people can always access it when required.”
The food bank has already served more than 1,400 people during the coronavirus pandemic and added an extra day to ensure demand could be met, alongside regular Tuesday and Thursday openings.
Debbie Bowen, head of the food bank from Dudley, said it had received a lot of help during the pandemic, with donations from churches and companies, as well as seeing an increase in volunteering.
She said: “These donations have been a great help in restocking the shelves to ensure we have food to contribute each morning whilst waiting for the delivery from the main warehouse.
“We have also had volunteers from our churches come forward to join our teams and help us during this current season. We have been overwhelmed with your generosity and that of local companies and people.”
