Words by Smiley Team
Feeding Gainsborough is an alliance of three local organisations: Eudaimonia, a registered charity running Affordable Foods, Bread and Roses Community Interest Company who operate a Community Pantry and Social Lounge, and Disability Network West Lindsey who supports disabled people across the district.
When the crisis hit it became apparent that, not only would those already supported by these organisations need more support, but there would be an even greater demand for services from new people whose lives the crisis had impacted.
Feeding Gainsborough established two distribution points for food and household goods, and set up an online referral system as well as landline and mobile points. Whilst one site supports families referred via online and telephone, the other site supports families identified by schools, social services and other organisations as being particularly vulnerable.
After just two weeks, the family network service has supported over 80 vulnerable families, a total of nearly 260 people every day. Whilst the other site supports just over 240 families, amounting to 750 people per week. Every day, service demand increases by twenty to thirty families all needing essential services provided by the organisation.
These services include a weekly call to those isolated and vulnerable being operated by Think 2 Speak, a local group who offer specialist one to one and group support. There is also pharmacy medication collection and delivery available. Lastly, there is a food and household good service offering free food for those in financial difficulty. Donation options for those who wish to pay a contribution, and a shopping service for those who are able to and want to pay for their food. All are picked and delivered by a team of community volunteers who are trained and have a DBS check in place.
To date they have been able to support all over the district, and further afield when no services are available. The majority of the people they support are aged individuals self-isolating alone or in couples, disabled people and their families for whom there are no community services available, families facing the economic impact of the crisis and homeless people who have been housed but have no income for food.
‘The main cost is in identifying and securing goods which so far has cost £550 per week and continues to rise.’
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By Ellen Jones
