MP surprised by size of foodbank
Maidenhead: Foodshare charity welcomes Theresa May
Maidenhead Foodshare welcomed a visit from MP Theresa May on Friday – showing her the many changes that have taken place at the foodbank over the past few years.
Mrs May was invited to Maidenhead Foodshare and replied ‘the very next day’ to accept the invitation.
Trustee Debbie Gee says that Mrs May also visited some years ago, around 2012. The foodbank has undergone significant changes since then, most noticeably in size.
“Theresa May remembers it from when it first started, when it was just one little room,” said Debbie.
“When she visited she was quite surprised at the size. She knows what we’ve been up to in the community but I think it’s not until you get in there [that you appreciate] the scale of it.”
Mrs May was at Foodshare for about 40 minutes looking at the different sections, including its food hub, shop and warehouse areas.
“We could tell she was surprised at the amount of
[donations] we need and quite intrigued by how it all worked,” said Debbie.
“She could clearly see we have made massive changes since the pandemic.
“We explained how Foodshare is very much needed in the community and she agreed with us.”
Foodshare’s services are constantly changing in response to need. This year, the energy crisis has led people trying to avoid using their ovens as much as they can.
One recent change is the cold-food meal bags that Foodshare offers, containing things like tuna, mayonnaise and sweetcorn. These help those with no cooking facilities.
‘A lot of work’ goes into trying to make these meals balanced and it can be quite difficult to do, says Debbie.
As such, for the first time,
Foodshare is welcoming ‘a trickle’ of donations of microwaves and air fryers. These must be brand new.
These cooking appliances use less energy and can save money for those struggling the most.
“I had one gentleman who only had a kettle – he’d resorted to putting a tin of baked beans in the kettle,” said Debbie.
“People are trying to find other ways to heat up food and we would prefer they could do so safely.”
For Christmas, Foodshare is looking to put together Christmas food bags soon.
It is hoping to introduce smaller bags with extras earlier in December to help reassure people of having enough food for Christmas in advance.
The foodbank is keen to receive supermarket vouchers which offer its customers peace of mind, letting them pop out and get any extra bits they need.
It can also help people get a greater selection of less common items such as Halal foods or alternative flours.
“This year we’re going to make sure people have enough to top up with,” said Debbie.