Council HQ, Leisure Centres and Moreton Area Centre set up collection points for local Foodbanks
Cotswold District Council has established collection bins at its Trinity Road headquarters, leisure centres in Cirencester, Bourton-on-the-Water, Chipping Campden, Fairford and Tetbury, and its Moreton Area Centre to support local foodbanks which help local families in need of emergency supplies.
Residents are being asked to donate non-perishable in-date food to help others in the district who are struggling to make ends meet. Items such as tinned food, instant mashed potato, fruit juice and Christmas food treats for children are especially welcomed.
According to CDC’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Carole Topple, the response so far has been very good:
“The collection bin at Cotswold Leisure Cirencester had to be emptied only 24 hours after it was put in place – this indicates that a lot of people are keen to help those who are less fortunate. The cost of food has risen dramatically and it is great to see that there are so many efforts underway to stop people in need going hungry. With Christmas around the corner, their need is more acute than ever and I hope that people will continue to give generously.”
In the district, the North Cotswold Food Bank (with branches in Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, and Chipping Campden) and the recently established Cirencester Food Bank and are working hard to distribute donated food to those in need of emergency rations. They operate a voucher system which enables care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers, voluntary organisations (including the Churn Project and the Citizens Advice Bureau) as well the police, to identify people in crisis and provide them with a three day supply of emergency food. Volunteers from the Food Banks also meet clients over a cup of tea or free hot meal and are able to signpost them to agencies who should be able to help solve longer-term problems.
For more details see Cirencester.foodbank.org.uk and foodbank@ngbc.org.uk
CONTACTS
Communications Office
Cotswold District Council, Trinity Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1PX
Telephone: 01285 623 169