Footprints in the Community is here to provide emergency food and support to anyone facing food poverty, whatever the reason for the crisis. That’s the message that this local charity wants everyone to be aware of.
Footprints in the Community started in 2011 and now run a number of projects from their offices at 10 Queen Street in Redcar, each of which aims to reduce poverty and isolation and improve health and wellbeing in Redcar and the surrounding area.
Redcar Area Foodbank is one of Footprints’ projects. They work with a wide range of local care professionals, who can all refer people in genuine crisis to a foodbank centre for a parcel containing at least three-days’ emergency food. Trained volunteers currently run nine centres, all based in local churches across Redcar & Cleveland. There is a full list of foodbank centres on the website https://redcararea.foodbank.org.uk
Everyone who enters through the door is given a warm welcome and can be signposted to other agencies and Footprints’ projects who may be able to provide further help. One of these projects is Next Step Shop, which is a subsidised members’ shop and is often the ‘next step’ for foodbank clients.
There are currently two Next Step Shops in the area; at Queen Street in Redcar and inside the Grangetown United Community Hub, allowing members to choose the most convenient place for them to shop. Shop members pay a small contribution of £3 towards their shopping and can visit their chosen shop on a weekly basis. For £3 they receive 10 items of tinned or packet food. A daily selection of fresh food is also available, such as fruit, vegetables and bread products.
If you would like to help support Footprints’ projects, donations of non-perishable food can be dropped off at 10 Queen Street in Redcar during office hours. There are donation points for food and toiletries for Redcar Area Foodbank in most local supermarkets. Monetary donations are always appreciated as they allow items that are most needed to be purchased. Donations can be made at https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/20571
Ruth Fox, CEO said, “We know that these are difficult times for everyone. We want to let people know that if they are struggling with food poverty, for whatever reason, they can be referred to Redcar Area Foodbank or our Next Step Shop for help. Our new Support Worker is also available to provide guidance, signposting and support to our members and clients with a range of issues, including benefits, to help them deal with a crisis and move forward from it.”
Ruth continued, “We want to thank the public for their generous support of our projects. Donations are needed now more than ever, to allow us to continue helping local people in crisis.”
You can find out more about the work of Footprints in the Community at www.footprintsinthecommunity.co.uk
