‘Hope this is the way forward’
Maidenhead Foodshare has opened a portion of its space into a shop-style area where visitors can choose items off the shelf rather than receiving food parcels. Trustees say this is better for people’s morale and self-esteem – and cuts down on food waste f
The Maidenhead foodbank has launched a new ‘shop’ section offering choice to visitors – in hopes of making each visit ‘a more dignified and pleasant experience’.
Maidenhead Foodshare has been running a large conventional foodbank out of the Nicholsons Centre for some time.
Traditionally, visitors to foodbanks receive prepacked food parcels with a selection of items sourced from donations.
Foodshare shares out healthy items like fresh fruit and vegetables equally among service-users – but this system leaves people with no choices.
This can create problems in families with children who may dislike and refuse to eat some of the items in the bag.
Now Foodshare has launched a new ‘shop’ inside its base, taking up about a quarter of its overall space, which will allow visitors to pick things off the shelves.
This is something Foodshare looked into two years ago before being sidetracked by the pandemic.
“People who were reticent about taking up the help offered through the foodbank will feel much more comfortable about coming to the shop,” said trustee
Lester Tanner.
“The shop is a scaled-up version of the personal shopping we’ve made available to a small number of people for about four years now,” said fellow trustee Debbie Gee.
“Not everybody wants a hand-out.
“Some people are very embarrassed – they may have had good jobs and been made redundant.
“They still haven’t adjusted to asking for help.”
The shop does not take money at the checkout but rather operates on a membership scheme in exchange for a small membership fee.
“It’s ideal because people feel they’re contributing,” said Debbie.
“It’s only a small amount but it makes all the difference.
“It makes for a more pleasant and dignified shopping experience.”
Members are guided to the shop area of the foodbank and can select the necessary amounts of fresh and tinned foods there.
They have access to their choice of unlimited fresh fruit and vegetables to help promote healthy eating.
Foodshare operates under a referral system.
Vouchers for the foodbank can be obtained via doctors, schools or housing associations like Housing Solutions.
Those who have been issued a voucher could become members of the shop if it would be helpful for them. Foodshare has identified about 50 families so far that could make good use of the scheme.
The aim is for the foodbank main area to become a place for emergency relief, whereas the shop can provide support on an ongoing basis.
Once inside, a volunteer guides visitors around the shop and can offer advice on what meal to cook based on the fresh foods – such as meat, dairy or eggs – the visitors are interested in selecting.
The shop is able to offer products that would not be included in food parcels because they are not needed every week – such as cleaning and laundry products.
The area also contains a Community Café to wait inside, with colouring books for children.
This is a coffee shop fitted out with donations from the now closed-down Strawberry Grove café.
Additionally, the membership scheme will provide other facilities to promote community and build individual confidence.
Projects in the pipeline include creating recipe cards or a Foodshare recipe book and arranging cooking classes for those that need them.
The shop opened on Friday to 10 families for its first week.
“Customers have been really overwhelmed,” said Debbie.
“We’ve tried to make it a really nice shopping experience.
“I do see most of our foodbank service users wanting to use the shop.
“We hope this will be the way forward for foodbanks.
“There’s no question that if we need to, we could expand – we’d open more days of the week.”
Customers have reported to Foodshare that it is ‘just like going to a shop’, the charity said.
“It’s a very difficult thing to set up but we can see a great need for this kind of foodbank shop. Choice is really the future,” said Debbie.