Bede Foodbank

Charity Details

Full Name: The Bede Foodbank CIO
Field: Community Services
Founded: 2013
Headquarters: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE15 6NG
Charity No.: 1152656

History and Activities

Established in 2013, The Bede – Newcastle West End Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks. It operates one of the busiest foodbanks in the UK from the West End of Newcastle, which is one of the most economically deprived areas in the North East. The foodbank distributes food from two venues which are open two days a week.

The foodbank first is opened in 2013 and by 2015 was providing 42,881 three-day emergency food packages per year from two venues. In 2017 over 16,800 people were served at The Venerable Bede Church on Westgate Road with a further 19,000 people receiving food packages from The Foodbank Centre in Benwell. The charity estimates that over half of the beneficiaries of their service are children. As well as distributing food packages the charity provided 10,300 low-cost hot meals to vulnerable people. Double the amount given in 2016.

Sadly, the demand for foodbanks increases every year. In 2016 the charity distributed food worth £164,055, a figure which increased by over 10% in 2017 to almost £185,000. The charity attributes this rise, in part, to the introduction of the Universal Credit system.  To meet the increased demand the charity is able to draw on both a large number of local volunteers and the support of regional corporate sponsors. Some of the most notable sponsors include Greggs plc, Sage UK Ltd, Virgin Money, Newcastle Building Society, Muckle LLP, Bond Dickinson LLP and Sintons LLP. In 2017, with support from NUFC Fans Foodbank, The Bede Foodbank opened a hub in Grainger Market in the heart of Newcastle, which acts as both a drop-off for food donations and an information point for those in need.

Like many charities tackling poverty in the UK, the Bede Foodbank recognises that success ultimately means building a strong community that no longer requires its services. To that end, the Foodbank launched the ‘Integration Project’ in partnership with multiple specialist agencies. The project aims to identify and address the complex underlying social issues that lead people to require help in the first place with the objective of ending dependency on foodbanks.

The charities financial income in 2017 was composed of a mix of cash donations (£95,826) and grants (£42,717) which included a generous grant of £10,000 from the Greggs Foundation. The most valuable donations, however, are made by ordinary people donating food. Combined with items donated from supermarkets and manufacturers as well as other foodbanks, the Bede Foodbank received over 106 tonnes of food.

Vital Statistics (year to 31/12/2017)

Website

https://newcastlewestend.foodbank.org.uk/

References