Leominster Food Bank is an independent charity, funded mainly by donations from individuals and also supported by the Household Support Fund administered by Herefordshire Council. 

Since the start of 2024 we have given out over 2000 food parcels of which 850 were for children. We have spent £31,000 on food so far this year in addition to food donations from members of the public. The needs of people who are struggling (and therefore the number of food parcels we have distributed and the amount we have spent on food) keep increasing every year as the cost of living has increased.

Every week we run two Food Bank sessions, by referral, for those in need of emergency food. We also run two food share sessions where we give away supermarket surplus and end of life food to anyone who comes. This is with the aim of reducing food waste and increasing access to free fresh food to people who might otherwise struggle to afford it. Food Shares help to reduce the stigma often associated with accepting food from food banks. Every evening we distribute end of day surplus food from the Co-op, and through our Money Advice Centre we help clients with budgeting and bills and can offer emergency fuel help for heating via our partnership with the Fuel Bank Foundation. Additionally, we give out school holiday food bags to families in the summer holidays to help families reduce their need to access the Food Bank.

We have a large ‘back-room’ team who enable all this to happen by picking up food from supermarkets every day, shopping, checking and shelving food donations, bagging food and making sure our food and premises are safe and hygienic. 

We are an entirely volunteer-run organisation, so we rely on the generosity of individuals giving their time and energy to be able to offer these services.

How can you help?

·         Volunteer for us – we are in urgent need of volunteers for a variety of jobs. Although a lot of our work is public-facing, many of our volunteers work behind the scenes collecting and sorting food. The commitment varies from a few times a month, to an hour a week upwards, depending on how much time you have available. Volunteers need to be resilient, have a kind and non-judgemental attitude and be able to work on their own initiative after training.

·         Set up a standing order or give a one off donation. Cash donations are very welcome, as we need to pay for food of all kinds including fresh fruit and veg, washing powder, toiletries and other important items. We buy the majority of the food we give away.

·         If you’ve already donated food to us through one of our collecting points, thank you – we really appreciate it. By installing the Bank The Food App on your phone, you can get updates about which items we are in need of most. Visit Bank The Food to download it or check the list on our website.

If you think you can help us by volunteering your time, please email or phone us on 07715 410575. Details for setting up a standing order can be found on our website.

We are extremely grateful to our local community for their huge generosity in terms of food,financial donations and volunteering, without which we would not be able to continue this important service to vulnerable members of our town and surrounding villages.