As we start to reinstate services it is important to reflect and not forget the work that has been done around access to emergency food during the pandemic.
Our Community Facilities Team and CLD teams developed an amazing example of true collaboration in working with our partners at North Ayrshire Foodbank to ensure the needs of local communities were met at a critical time in need.
A lot of hard work and commitment was demonstrated by staff and our partners to ensure there was a clear pathway to accessing and receiving emergency food parcels.
As we continue on the journey to reinstating services we are now asking all agents, services and partners to initiate the referral voucher system and we are encouraging as many agents and services to sign up to the e-voucher referral system.
On Monday 20 September, the referral system for non-isolation Emergency Food Parcels changed back to the pre-covid process. By now most agents and service representatives should have hopefully been contacted by North Ayrshire Food Bank (NAFB) to:
- Validate registration details
- Be provided with further supplies of parcel vouchers
- Establish interest in registering for the electronic voucher system
- Register to become a collection site
To avoid any disruption and delay for citizens accessing food, Agents and Service Representatives who have not been contacted by NAFB are encouraged to get in touch as soon as possible by emailing info@northayrshire.foodbank.org.uk
For individuals and households isolating, contact should continue to be made with the Contact Centre on 01294 310 000 where supermarket vouchers can be arranged and redeemed online. If a voucher is unsuitable and a parcel delivery is the preferred option the Community Facilities Team will undertake the doorstep delivery.
Before referring clients to an Emergency Parcel collection point please first and foremost consider the feasibility of sign posting clients to one of the North Ayrshire Fairer Food Community Larders. Community Larders are located across the Authority and provide clients and households with dignified access to a range of nutritional low-cost produce and essential household products. See the Google Map here for locations and details of our emergency parcel and community larder sites.
Emails to: info@northayrshire.foodbank.org.uk
Look out for an update on Community Larders in the next few weeks where we will be sharing information ahead of #ChallengePovertyWeek
Help your local food larder
Your local larder is accepting donations of non-perishable items. The most popular items are:
- Cereal
- Sugar
- Biscuits
- Diluting Juice
- Tinned meat
- Pasta
- Tinned veg
- Pasta sauce
- Stock cubes
- One meal tins (macaroni / soup / chilli con carne etc)
- Rice Pudding
- Custard
- Jelly
- Jam
- Shampoo
- Deodorant
Larder donations can be dropped at any of the larders during their opening hours. To find out what these are, click the map here.
If you would like to make a monetary donation to any of the larders, please contact: Laura Taylor: laurataylor@north-ayrshire.gov.uk or Pam Crosthwaite: pcrosthwaite@north-ayrshire.gov.uk