Impact1219

Grace Food Bank was
set up in 2012 to relieve
fi nancial hardship among
people primarily living
in the Beauchief and
Greenhill Ward in Sheffi eld.
Since its inauguration it has
been well used throughout the
year but especially at Christmas.
We all want to give our families
something special to eat at
Christmas. This is a very busy
time for the volunteers, but very
worthwhile. At Christmas we invite
back to the food bank everyone
who has accessed it between
September and December
to get a parcel of
Christmas food and
some extra staples
for the holiday
period.
Last Christmas
we gave out
Christmas
parcels to a total
of 192 adults
and 115 children.
We were very busy.
This year will be no
different. It’s a special
time. We are already planning
extra packing sessions and extra
extended collection sessions.
The atmosphere amongst the
volunteers at these sessions is
a lovely one. It is also great to
meet up again with clients that we
haven’t seen for a while to fi nd out
what has been happening to them.
It’s fabulous when they bring good
news. Benefi ts may have at last
been sorted out, or employment
found. We eat cake and mince
pies with warming coffee and tea,
sitting next to the lit Christmas
trees.
We are fortunate that our
shelves are already well stocked
with ordinary foodstuffs, and as I
write we are beginning to receive
food from our Christmas wish list
from our very generous donors.
About 25 churches, several local
schools, a mosque and a number
of local community groups and
workplaces collect food for us,
either regularly or as one off
Christmas collections.
The fi rst Christmas food arrived
in September! By early December
we know our shelves will be
overfl owing with cake, chocolate,
crisps, tins of ham and salmon,
coffee, fi zzy fruit juice and, if
anything like previous
years, many boxes of
mince pies!
We are very
grateful to Hallam
FM for giving us
14 sacks of toys
and presents for
older teenagers
from their Mission
Christmas appeal
so that we can give
a present to every
child in the families
we help. We collect
winter coats and warm jumpers in
November. Pre-loved Uniform will
attend our extended Christmas
sessions to hand out these to both
adults and children.
If you would like to donate or
lend a helping hand sorting food
or wrapping presents or taking
food from the food bank to the
distribution points please get in
touch with us at St Chad’s. Thanks
to all who already donate food and
money or give their time. I can
assure you nothing is ever wasted
and everything given is truly
appreciated.
Ann Lomax
Food bank trustee
Christmas at the Food Bank
St Chad’s Church, Linden Avenue, Woodseats
Church Office: Linden Avenue, Sheffi eld S8 0GA
Tel: (0114) 274 5086
Page 25
email: office@stchads.org
website: www.stchads.org