- The council paid for the materials to install shelving in our food store.
- Pat a local carpenter fitted the shelves for free, well almost. We paid two pasties and endless cups of tea!
- During September, the harvest festival collections came from the same local churches in and around Okehampton that have always supported us, as well as fourteen schools. If anyone has not received a thank you letter yet, please send me a text and I will get one in the post. We have been so busy, keeping up with admin is taking a little longer than usual.
- Although The Baptist Church would not return our stock and equipment, as they had already given it away, they did very kindly return all the jars of chutney we made in 2023 as well as our 60-foot foodbank banner so, that is a positive move.
- We received an extremely gracious donation that safeguards the food bank for some time.
- The Waitrose Partners have been such an encouragement with their friendly manner and generous offers of help.
- Waitrose customers have been marvellous and have donated everything we need when we need it, it is quite remarkable. The donation basket has been overflowing every day since October.
- Thank you to all the Lidl Customers who continue to donate, and Lidl for supplying us with bread and pastries.
- All the staff at the Okement Centre have been very helpful and particularly patient in the early days…yes we will get rid of the bookcase.
- We have a symbiotic relationship with the Community Fridge, also based in the Ockment Centre. We are able to share excess stock with them and use some of their fresh vegetables when we are short. We recommend that the families who use the food bank also use the community fridge which is a resource for all and prevents good food from going to waste.
To be continued…