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Would you like to volunteer at Okehampton Food Bank and make a practical difference to people in your local community?

For more than seventeen years, Okehampton Food Bank has been helping local people through some of the most difficult periods of their lives.

Founded in 2008 as the seventh food bank to be established in the UK, it began with the simple belief that neighbours should help neighbours. Since then, the food bank has grown from supporting just a handful of families each week into a vital community service for Okehampton and the surrounding area.

Today, we continue that work from the Ockment Centre in North Street, and we are looking for new volunteers to join our friendly and dedicated team.

Whether you are searching for volunteer opportunities in Okehampton, hoping to support a local charity or simply have a few hours to spare, volunteering with us is a meaningful way to help people facing hardship.plays more block tools

Hunger Is Still Here in Okehampton

The people who come to Okehampton Food Bank are not strangers.

They are parents, children, older residents, people living with illness or disability, and working households whose income no longer covers the essentials.

A sudden job loss, an unexpected bill, delayed benefits or the rising cost of food and energy can leave almost anyone struggling to put meals on the table.

Through referrals from trusted local organisations, Okehampton Food Bank provides individuals and families with nutritious food and essential household items during times of hardship.

Where supplies allow, this includes:

  • Fresh fruit and vegetables
  • Milk, butter, cheese and eggs
  • Tinned and dried food
  • Breakfast items
  • Toiletries and personal-care products
  • Baby products and other essential items

However, our work is about much more than filling bags with food.

It is about welcoming people without judgement, protecting their dignity and reminding them that their community has not forgotten them.

By becoming an Okehampton Food Bank volunteer, you can help ensure that local individuals and families receive practical assistance, kindness and respect when they need it most.

Volunteers Make It Possible

Every food parcel prepared, every shelf filled and every person welcomed through our doors depends upon the time, commitment and kindness of our volunteers.

Our volunteers help us to:

  • Receive and sort food donations
  • Check dates and organise stock
  • Restock shelves
  • Prepare the food bank for opening
  • Pack and distribute food
  • Welcome visitors with kindness and respect
  • Keep the food bank clean, organised and running smoothly

We are particularly looking for people who can help on Wednesdays, when fresh produce and other supplies are collected and the food bank is prepared for the following day, or on Thursday mornings when local families visit us.

A typical volunteering session lasts around two or three hours, and we will try to be flexible around your work, family and other commitments.

You do not need previous food bank experience. What matters most is that you are reliable, compassionate and able to treat everyone with dignity and confidentiality.

Appropriate guidance and training will be provided. Regular volunteers will also be asked to complete safeguarding training and a DBS check arranged by the food bank.

For anyone looking for food bank volunteering in Okehampton, this is an opportunity to join a welcoming team and contribute directly to an important local service.

Become Part of Our Story

Okehampton Food Bank has continued serving the town through economic uncertainty, the pandemic and the rising cost of living.

That has only been possible because generations of local people have been willing to step forward and help.

We are now inviting a new group of volunteers to become part of that story.

You may be retired and looking for a meaningful way to use your time. You may work part-time, have a few hours available each month or simply want to do something practical for people in your community.

Whatever your background, your time could make a genuine difference.

A few hours spent sorting donations, restocking shelves or preparing food parcels may seem like a small contribution. To a family facing an empty cupboard, it can mean everything.

Choosing to volunteer in Okehampton is also a valuable way to meet new people, support your community and use your time for a worthwhile cause.

Join Our Volunteer Team

To find out more about volunteering at Okehampton Food Bank, please contact us:

Okehampton Food Bank
Ockment Centre
31 North Street
Okehampton
EX20 1AR

Telephone: 07585 300537
If there is no answer, please leave a message or send a text.

Email: contact@okehamptonfoodbank.co.uk

You are also welcome to visit us on a Thursday morning to speak to a member of the team and collect a volunteer application form.

Whether you can help regularly or only have a few hours available each month, we would be pleased to hear from you.

Nourishing Neighbours, Feeding Futures

Together, we can make sure that no one in Okehampton has to face hunger alone.

When we think about hunger, many of us picture somewhere far away.

  • Another country.
  • Another city.
  • Another community.

But the truth is much closer to home.

Hunger lives here in Okehampton.

It might be the parent you see at the school gates each morning, quietly wondering how to stretch dinner for one more night.

It could be an elderly neighbour forced to make an impossible choice between heating or eating.

Or a hardworking family hit by an unexpected bill, a job loss, or rising energy costs — suddenly finding themselves struggling behind closed doors.

Food insecurity doesn’t always look the way we expect.

Many of the people who rely on Okehampton Food Bank are working, caring for families, and doing everything they can to stay afloat. Sometimes, all it takes is one setback, a broken washing machine, a missed pay cheque, or the rising cost of living, and putting food on the table becomes a daily worry.

And no one should have to face that alone.

Right Here in Our Community

Every week, individuals and families in Okehampton turn to the food bank for support.

They’re not strangers.

They’re our neighbours.

  • Children who need breakfast before school
  • Parents skipping meals so their kids can eat
  • Older residents living on fixed incomes

For many people, the food bank is not a long-term solution; it’s a lifeline during a difficult chapter, giving them breathing space while they get back on their feet.

Your Kindness Makes a Real Difference

The good news is this: because hunger is local, so is the solution.

Every donation stays right here in our community.

  • A few extra tins in your shopping basket.
  • A small monthly donation.
  • An hour of your time volunteering.

Together, these simple acts create something powerful.

A single food parcel can mean:

  • Hot meals for a family
  • Less stress and worry
  • The dignity of knowing someone cares

Sometimes it’s not just food we provide.

It’s hope.

Giving from the Heart

For many in our community, giving is also an expression of our Christian faith.

The Bible calls us to care for those in need, to share what we have, and to love our neighbours in practical ways. Supporting the food bank is one simple but powerful way to live out that calling, turning compassion into action and offering kindness, dignity, and hope to those who need it most.

Whether through prayer, donations, or volunteering, every act of generosity reflects the heart of a community looking after one another.

Be the Reason Someone Eats Tonight

None of us knows when we might need a little help ourselves.

That’s what makes Okehampton special.

We look out for each other.

If you’re able to donate food, funds, or time, you’re helping ensure that no one in our town has to go to bed hungry.

Because hunger doesn’t happen somewhere else.

It happens here.

And together, through faith and community, we can make sure no one faces it alone.

Donate today. Support your neighbours. Help Okehampton thrive.



The ethics of selling donated food

Are Community Larders Blurring the Line?

As the UK cost-of-living crisis continues, community food initiatives are expanding quickly. Community larders and kitchens are increasingly seen as alternatives to traditional food banks, but their growth has also prompted important ethical questions about how donated food should be distributed.

Food Banks vs Community Larders

Food banks, such as Okehampton Foodbank, which incidentally is the seventh longest serving food bank in the UK… provides donated food free of charge to people in verified need.

Community larders, by contrast, often charge small fees through memberships or per-item pricing, sometimes as little as 50p. Supporters argue that this approach is more sustainable, while critics say it can still create barriers for people who are already struggling financially.

The Key Question

Should people in poverty have to pay for food that was donated for free?

Even modest charges can accumulate over time, shifting support away from unconditional aid and towards a more transactional model.

Donor Expectations

Many people donate food through supermarket collections believing it will go directly to those in need. When donated items are instead sold, even at a low price, it can create a gap between expectation and reality and raise concerns about transparency, trust, and donor intent.

Surplus vs Donated Food

A key distinction shapes this debate:

  • Surplus food, which might otherwise go to waste, is generally seen as suitable for resale or redistribution.
  • Public donations, given specifically to support people in need, carry a different expectation.

Once publicly donated items are sold, the ethical context changes.

Where the Line Blurs

A balanced model might include:

  • Free emergency food
  • Low-cost options
  • Sale of surplus goods to fund services

Concerns arise, however, when selling becomes the main model and access to food depends on a person’s ability to pay.

Trust and Transparency

Clear communication is essential. Models such as Okehampton Foodbank build trust by ensuring that all donated food is distributed free of charge, while operational costs are covered separately.

The Bottom Line

Community larders play an important role in reducing waste, but as they expand, they are also attracting greater scrutiny.

Selling donated food may be justifiable, but only when it clearly serves people in need first.

When revenue begins to take priority over direct support, the model moves into more uncertain ethical territory.


Across the UK, many people have noticed that the weekly food shop costs more than it did a year ago. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics show that UK food prices increased by around 4–5% over the past year.

Families on lower incomes spend a larger share of their budget on essentials such as food and energy, which means price increases affect them more strongly than the average household. In addition, cheaper supermarket products have often increased faster than premium brands, meaning poorer shoppers can face higher inflation on the items they actually buy.

However, the real increase for many households in Okehampton and West Devon is likely to be higher.

When other factors are taken into account — including skimpflation, shrinkflation, added water or fillers in products, and the fact that many items used to calculate national inflation are simply unaffordable for poorer households — the real cost of maintaining the same diet may be closer to 7–10% for many families, and sometimes higher for those relying heavily on basic staple foods.

This difference between official statistics and everyday experience helps explain why rising food prices are being felt so strongly in communities like Okehampton.

What Is Skimpflation?

Skimpflation happens when the price of a product stays similar, but the quality or ingredients are reduced.

For example:

  • A ready meal may contain less meat and more sauce
  • Drinks may include more water or filler
  • Recipes may use cheaper ingredients

The price on the shelf may appear the same, but shoppers receive less nutritional value or lower-quality food for their money.

What Is Shrinkflation?

Shrinkflation occurs when the size or quantity of a product becomes smaller while the price stays the same.

For example:

  • A packet of biscuits may contain fewer biscuits
  • A chocolate bar may weigh less
  • A bag of pasta may hold a smaller amount

Because the packaging often looks the same, these changes can be difficult to notice.

Why Rising Food Prices Matter in Okehampton

When food prices rise, skimpflation and shrinkflation occur at the same time, and the real cost of feeding a household can rise faster than official inflation figures suggest.

For families in Okehampton and across West Devon, these pressures can make it harder to afford enough food each week.

At Okehampton Foodbank, we see the impact of rising food prices on local families every day. Many people seeking support are working households, pensioners, or individuals facing unexpected financial difficulties.

Supporting Families in Okehampton

Okehampton Foodbank exists to support people in our community who are experiencing food insecurity.


If you would like to help, you can:

Community support makes a real difference and helps ensure that everyone in Okehampton has access to food when they need it.

Strengthening Okehampton Food Bank Community Support

Okehampton Food Bank community support has been strengthened over the past year thanks to the generous backing of Okehampton United Charities.

Their funding has enabled us to continue with our dedicated room at the Ockment Centre. As a result, we now have a safe, accessible, and welcoming base for our work. This space helps us respond more quickly and effectively to local families who need help.

Simply put, it has transformed how we operate day to day.


A Safe and Welcoming Space at the Ockment Centre

Because we have a secure base, we can store food safely and organise supplies more efficiently. In turn, distributions run more smoothly and volunteers can focus on supporting people.

At the same time, we’re able to meet clients in private. This ensures conversations remain confidential and respectful.

Most importantly, the room creates a calm and friendly environment. As a result, people feel comfortable, supported, and treated with dignity from the moment they arrive.

More Than Food: Advice and Practical Help

However, food is only part of the support we offer.

Thanks to this dedicated space, advisors from Citizens Advice and Community Links now join us during food bank sessions. Because of this, families can access practical guidance straight away.

They can get help with:

  • Benefits
  • Debt and money worries
  • Housing concerns
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Accessing longer-term support

So, alongside emergency food, people receive advice and clear next steps. Together, this joined-up approach provides both immediate relief and the tools they need to move forward with confidence.

The Impact of Community Partnership in Okehampton

Importantly, the support of Okehampton United Charities has strengthened the daily running of the Food Bank. In turn, it has provided reassurance to the many residents who rely on us.

Meanwhile, demand for food support continues to grow across Okehampton and the surrounding area. Because of this, strong partnerships are more important than ever.

Community backing like this doesn’t just help in the short term. Instead, it builds lasting Okehampton Food Bank community support that benefits everyone.

Thank You to Our Supporters

Of course, we couldn’t do this work alone.

We depend on the kindness of local organisations, businesses, volunteers, and residents. Every donation, referral, and hour given makes a real difference.

We’re especially grateful to Okehampton United Charities for recognising the value of our service and helping us continue our work with care, dignity, and compassion.

How You Can Support Okehampton Food Bank

If you’d like to be part of the Okehampton Food Bank community support, there are many ways to help:

  • Donate food or funds
  • Volunteer your time
  • Partner with us as a local organisation
  • Contact us if you or someone you know needs support

Together, we can ensure no one in Okehampton faces hardship alone.

From Everyone at Okehampton Food Bank

Thank you to Okehampton United Charities and to everyone in our community who helps make this work possible.

With your support, we can continue providing vital food, advice, and hope to local people when they need it most.

From all of us at Okehampton Food Bank — thank you.

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