Food bank is ‘a sad sign of the times’

Bassetlaw Food Bank opened its new premises on Lowtown Street on 29th April - providing emergency food parcels to those in need.

The organisation will only be providing food parcels to people via referrals from registered agencies such as HOPE for Homeless and A1 Housing.

Bassetlaw Council interim chief executive Neil Taylor who cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony said it was a ‘sad sign of the times’ to open a food bank in Bassetlaw.

“It doesn’t give me a great deal of pride to open a place like this - it’s not what we should be doing in the 21st century,” he said.

“However, it is a great tribute to the steering group and local people for their ingenuity and energy in taking this project forward.”

“I do expect this to be very successful asset to the community.”

Bassetlaw Food Bank is the result of nine months of hard work from partner organisations across the district, and hopes to extend the scheme with the opening of a centre in Retford later this year.

Acting secretary Anne Taylor said HOPE for Homeless and The Well in Retford now distribute a combined average of six parcels a day - compared to six a week last year.

“It’s a serious problem we can’t turn a blind eye to and we must help those in need. This is increasingly affecting families who aren’t living traditionally on the poverty line,” she said.