Guests visiting our food bank deserve to be treated with dignity. Accessing a food bank is stressful to many of our guests and we want to be a place that is warm and welcoming both in attitude and practically. Our current marque which is used to accommodate our visitors while they wait for their food parcels to be packed is a poor structure, it is cold, not very welcoming and has to be dismantled when poor weather is forecast to prevent it either being blown away or damaged, as you can imagine, it is not a favourite task for our volunteers. We are looking to provide a more permanent solution, one that is warm, welcoming and offers a space for refreshments, friendships to be formed and communities developed. When we are able to sit and chat to our guests we gain their trust, we are then able to offer onward referrals, both within, and outside of, our organisation to further aid the road to self-suffiency.

What we'll deliver:

• Provide a shelter for our guest attending food bank sessions
• Provide storage solutions to enable smooth running of sessions
• Provide a safe, warm and welcoming space to facilitate friendships

Why it's a great idea:

Benefits begin with a practical element, warm guests, who feel they are treated with dignity, this then opens to conversation and continues to mental heath well being and assistance seeking solutions to ongoing problems

Steps to get it done:

• Decide on structure, permanent building of moveable structure
• Obtain quotes from builders/suppliers
• Decide on contractors/suppliers and provide relevant access
• Purchase storage and furniture to provide a welcoming environment
• Open the new area to our guests