New partnership with First Leicester

Our food bank was launched in June 2013 in partnership with Leicester city council. The food bank provides food and toiletries to eligible individuals and families with little or no income. Over the past 12 months the food bank has given out around 8,000 parcels and sees up to 80 clients each week.

Whilst the food bank helps to support people experiencing food poverty, many clients, without access to a vehicle or money to pay for travel, are left to walk long distances home carry the provisions they receive. When First Leicester learnt of the work of the Charity Link food bank they were keen to address this problem and have launched a scheme providing the charity with travel vouchers to offer to clients experiencing difficulty.

Unsurprisingly, many of the people visiting the food bank do not have funds to pay for public transport and do not have their own vehicle. Therefore, unless they have friends or family who can give them a lift, clients are often left to walk miles home carrying heavy bags of food.  (Whilst the food bank is based in Leicester city centre – in the Malcom Arcade – because Charity Link’s food bank is the only one in the county open five days a week, people can travel some distance from their home to collect their food).

We are delighted that, with the support of First Leicester, we can now offer vulnerable clients who need help getting home with free bus travel.

To read the full press release click here.

For further details on the food bank click here.