Behind the Sunday food table
How volunteers pack and give out food parcels, and why the conversation matters as much as the food.
Poverty reliefLong before anyone arrives, the food table is already taking shape. Volunteers sort donations, check dates, and pack parcels so that each one holds a balanced mix of tins, dry goods and fresh items where we have them.
What goes in a parcel
Parcels are packed for the household in front of us. A family with young children gets different things from a single person in a hostel room with no cooker. Where we can, we add toiletries and clothing.
More than food
The queue is also a conversation. Someone who comes for a parcel often needs advice about a benefits letter, a debt, or a worry they have not told anyone about. Our volunteers know when to listen and when to point people to someone who can help.
We would like to be known for the second conversation as much as the first parcel.
How you can help
We always need volunteers and donations of food and essentials. [Current shopping list and drop-off details to be added by BTMA.]