About
How foodbanks work
Providing emergency food to people in crisis.
Every day people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. A simple box of food makes a big difference, with foodbanks helping prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems.
Food is donated
Schools, churches, businesses and individuals donate non-perishable, in-date food to a foodbank. Large collections often take place as part of Harvest Festival celebrations and food is also collected at supermarkets. We also collect household items, such as toilet rolls and washing liquid, and personal items such as shampoo and deodorant.
Food is sorted and stored
Volunteers sort food to check that it’s in date and place it in boxes and crates on the warehouse shelves ready to be given to people in need. Over 40,000 people in the UK give up their time to volunteer at foodbanks; Malvern Hills Foodbank has some 35 active volunteers and is currently running a recruitment campaign to add more.
Professionals identify people in need
Foodbanks partner with a wide range of care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers and police to identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher.
CORONAVIRUS – since the onset of the pandemic the food bank has introduced the Trussell Trust electronic (e-)voucher system to replace the original paper (red) voucher system. The referral agencies now issue e-vouchers on computer and the e-vouchers are automatically sent to the food bank computer.
Clients receive food
Volunteers assemble food parcels in accordance with the e-voucher using “picking lists” designed to cater for the number of adults and children and with any special requirements such as baby food, nappies, pet food.
CORONAVIRUS – each client is contacted by telephone to discuss any special requirements and to arrange delivery. Volunteers can also signpost people to agencies able to help solve the underlying problems.
CORONAVIRUS – Community Action Malvern collect the food parcels from the food bank centre and deliver them to the clients. If preferred, food parcels can be collected by the client from Lyttelton Well or Upton-upon-Severn Baptist Church.