The Walton & Hersham Food Bank

General information

How a foodbank works:

1. Food is donated
All food given out is donated, whether by schools, churches, businesses, individuals, or through supermarket collections.
Such collections engage the public at supermarkets where they are met by volunteers who offer shoppers a ‘foodbank shopping list’ and ask them to buy an extra item with their shop. This food is then collected at the checkout before being taken to the foodbank warehouse.

2. Food is sorted and stored
At the warehouse, food is sorted by volunteers according to type and 'best before date'. They also check it is undamaged (and that it can be used in a food parcel) and pack it into boxes and store it, ready for use. Food is then taken to foodbank centres, where it is made up into food parcels for clients.

3. Frontline professionals identify people in need
Care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers, Citizens Advice Bureau staff, welfare officers, the police and probation officers, amongst others, identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher.

4. Clients receive food
Clients bring their voucher to a foodbank centre where it can be exchanged for three days supply of emergency food. Food parcels have been designed by dieticians to provide recipients with nutritionally balanced food.
Some foodbanks also run a delivery service, which takes emergency foodboxes to clients living in rural areas and those who cannot get to a foodbank.

5. Clients are signposted to further support
Volunteers meet clients over a cup of tea or hot meal and are able to signpost people to agencies who can help resolve the longer-term problem. As foodbanks are an emergency food-provision service, it is important to get clients in touch with organisations who can help them address the underlying problem.

Get Involved:
Your gifts of time, funds or food can help stop local people going hungry. We could not do it without you.

1. Fundraise
There are many fun ways to get involved and support your local foodbank. Click here to see our fundraising pack - its packed with top tips on how to make your fundraising a success.

2. Volunteer
There are many ways to get involved as a volunteer - you could help us with food sorting and packing, fundraising or promoting the foodbank to the local community. If you have some time to give and are willing to help, please get in touch.

3. Donate money
Regular gifts: Giving by standing order helps us to plan ahead, making sure that we are always here to help people in crisis.
download standing order form: http://waltonhersham.foodbank.org.uk/resources/documents/L7---Standing-Order-Form-blank-pdf.pdf
download a gift aid form: http://waltonhersham.foodbank.org.uk/get-involved

4. One-off gifts: Foodbanks need funds to keep going. We appreciate whatever you can give, big or small...please send cheques to:
Walton and Hersham foodbank
Mayfield
74 Hersham Road
Walton on Thames
Surrey KT12 5NU
and made payable to 'Walton and Hersham Foodbank'.

5. Give food
Download a foodbank shopping list here to see what we need. Please bring any food donations to the foodbank Warehouse between 1030am and 12 noon on Wednesdays, located at The Storage Box, Alfa House, Molesey Rd, Hersham, KT12 3PD.

6. Become a sponsor or partner
If you are a local business that shares our belief that no-one should go hungry in our local area, we’d love you to hear from you. There are many ways to get involved, from volunteering as a team building activity to sharing your expertise. To find out more about getting involved please contact us. Thank you!