Eastwood Food Bank needs your support ahead of 'very busy' Christmas period

The food bank, which is located at Eastwood Volunteer Bureau, at the back of Eastwood Library, says it is always busy throughout the year but especially so at Christmas.

Rachel Laurenson, food bank manager, said: “We expect to be busy this Christmas, we’re always busy throughout the year but Christmas is always an especially busy time for us, particulalrly in the lead up to the main day and it really isn’ getting any easier for people.”

The main things the food bank needs donations of are staples such as coffee, sugar and long-life milk which Rachel says they are always very short on and need the most.

Tinned chilli and curry are also needed, as are tins of tuna as ‘it’s not cheap to buy’.

And men’s deodorant is another thing the facility struggles to get regular supplies of.

Rachel said: “Female deodorant doesn’t tend to be a problem but the men we seem to struggle with.”

As well as food and toiletries, the food bank is currently looking for items to make up gifts for the children of families that use the facility and they are currently short on presents for teenagers.

Rachel said: “We don’t need lots of them because we haven’t got a lot of teenagers in families using us but we are getting lots of things being donated for small children but we do seem to be struggling with teenage presents.

"We don’t get many of those so some of them would be welcome.”

The food bank has now been going for around 15 years and Rachel has been involved for the last decade.

And she says there appears to be no let up in the number of people needing the service.

She said: “Unfortunately, it’s a year-long thing the food bank and people needing to use us, not just for Christmas and we’re seeing families coming all the time so if anyone can help donate any of the items we really need, we would be very grateful.”

The food bank is open on Fridays from 9.30am to 12.30pm.