Food bank in registry office looks for new home

A food bank is looking for a permanent new base after moving into a former registry office as a temporary warehouse.

Farnborough Foodbank used the town's old registry office in Grosvenor Road to distribute food and toiletries throughout the busy Christmas period.

The charity has appealed for help in finding a warehouse as a "long-term, sustainable solution".

Established in 2009, it receives donations to provide emergency boxes of food and toiletries to local people facing poverty and hunger.

The charity announced in the autumn it was looking for new premises following the closure of its previous warehouse.

It moved into the former registry office as a base to store, sort and pack food donations ahead of its busiest time of year.

Ruth Masih, from Farnborough Foodbank, said:"Just before Christmas we moved in. It all came together, we didn't know how it was going to work, but the volunteers were amazing in setting all this up.

"We need a more permanent home with car parking available and on the ground floor, easy to load and unload, and ideally in the Aldershot-Farnborough area."

In its early years, the service used garden sheds and garages to store food before being given a small unit by Rushmoor Borough Council.

The volunteer-run food bank receives public donations through various drop bins located in supermarkets and other public places.

Anyone in need who is issued with a voucher from various agencies and can redeem them for three days of emergency food from the food bank.

"Demand for our services continues to grow, and securing a long-term, sustainable solution remains essential to ensure we can continue providing consistent support to individuals and families experiencing financial hardship," Masih said.

The charity is also looking for financial support to help meet the estimated £50,000 annual cost of renting a warehouse.

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