Foodbank

News from Newark & Tuxford Foodbank – May 2024

Hello again to our dear Prayer Partners

Time again for another update on the happenings at the Foodbank and the Social Supermarket. We do so appreciate your interest and prayer support; without the power of prayer underpinning all that we do – in Lesley`s words “we would be helpless and out of our depth.”

Due to the recent increased demand for our services, stocks have been quite low and we`ve had to buy a few items – but we are indebted to God and the amazing generosity of the people in our area, that even in these difficult times we have a continual supply of food and other items that we`re able to give away.  It`s wonderful to have a supply of basic items, but especially lovely to have a few “special treats” to hand out to the children at times such as Easter.  We are so grateful to a local firm of architects and also to a local charity who donated over 40 kilos of chocolate Easter eggs, enabling us to add a few to some of our family bags. Also we are indebted to Waitrose who arranged for us to have a Food Drive in their store – this helped us to promote the Foodbank and also brought in many much needed items.  We pray God`s blessing on these extra generous people and companies.

People come into the Foodbank and the Social Supermarket for a variety of reasons, and we`ve had to learn that we can`t judge by how a person or situation appears on the surface.  Literally anyone could be in need of our help at any time.  Sometimes a listening ear and a friendly face are almost as important as the food and other items we hand out.  Once a fortnight a lady comes into the Social Supermarket.  At first glance she is well groomed and very respectable, not the sort of person you would think needs a Social Supermarket.  But this lady is having a very hard time indeed.   Her husband left her for another woman which is bad enough, but she has been treated with abuse and cruelty for most of her married life. This ex-husband seems very nice and respectable on the surface and can afford top solicitors, whereas she is not able to.  When they were married he controlled all the money and put the mortgage in his name.  He won`t pay out anything for their children, but he has taken her to court because he wants the house and wants the children (even though they want to stay with their mother)  He is racking up bills which are coming to the house and that seemingly she is liable for as she lives there.  This is a more complicated problem than for most of our clients, but we are her lifeline as she doesn`t have enough money to live on and thinks she would starve without it.  She knows she can come in to see us without fear of being judged and she can see a friendly face and have a confidential listening ear which is so important.

Please pray for the good health and strength of all our volunteers – collectors, warehouse workers, bag packers, Front of House helpers – and particularly one of our drivers called Martin who delivers Foodbank bags to all those who live outside the Newark area (Ollerton, Tuxford, Clipstone, Bilsthorpe etc.)   He is due to have a serious back operation soon.  We pray for the success of this operation and that he will make a speedy and full recovery. We ask you to join us in prayer for another driver or two to take on this role which Martin has fulfilled so faithfully and with such great commitment.

Our Logistics Team are amazing – they move bags from the warehouse to Cartergate over the weekend to replenish the bags used at Front of House.  Then they move more bags and stock on Wednesday morning from the warehouse and replenish the shelves of the Social Supermarket.  We were very short of volunteers recently and our wonderful team gave “double time”.  We pray God`s blessing on every one of our amazing volunteers, willingly carrying out the Lord`s work with such great commitment. Thanks to God we now have more volunteers and we`d ask you to pray that God will bless them mightily as they faithfully turn up and fulfill their particular role  – every one is vitally important to the smooth running of this growing project.

Another person who is a real “Godsend” is Tom from the Citizens Advice Bureau who has helped so many people who are in financial trouble, or for whatever other reason they may come to the Foodbank.  He is generous with his time, listens carefully to each and everyone and faithfully works his way  through people`s sometimes depressing and often tricky problems, whilst at all times being so professional.  We are so thankful to God for sendng him to us.

Some sad news is that one of our committed volunteers, Helen Charnley, passed away last month.  She worked in the warehouse and on supermarket food drives and her husband Chris has, and still does, work in many different areas of our project.   She was a lovely Christian lady, always cheerful and smiling, and was involved in helping out and caring for many different individuals and families.  She will be a great loss. We send Chris our love and deepest sympathy at this time and pray he will take some comfort from spending time with his growing family of grandchildren.

We believe that being able to help people out at times of great stress and difficulty is a great privilege, and as we offer them food and other supplies that often opens the door for them to share about other problems they have too.  Pray for all of us please, that in the hurry and busyness of keeping this expanding work moving, we always are able to find time to talk to people, listen to them and show them the love of Jesus.

Thank you again for your valuable support. We pray God`s blessing on you – our amazing Prayer Partners, Sue Eddowes and the Team


Thank you so much to everyone who is still finding a way to support our local Foodbank. 

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Donations can currently be made at the supermarket as you do your weekly shop, or for Balderton residents you can currently drop off any parcels to the vicarage, 107 Main Street, Balderton.  Please leave any items under the porch and these will be collected regularly.

Alternatively you can also leave them at
6 Collinson Lane, Fernwood.

For full shopping list click here

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To make a one-off gift
To make a one-off donation please do a bank transfer to the following account, adding a reference to indicate the source and also send an email to info@newark.foodbank.org.uk.  This will help them to recognise the source of the donation.   Thank you in advance for supporting them in this way.

CAF Bank Ltd
Sort code: 40-52-40           Account: 00027004

https://newark.foodbank.org.uk/

https://newark.foodbank.org.uk/