Food bank needs £19k so families don't go hungry

CHARITY ADMITS 'SHOCK' AT HAVING TO VACATE PREMISES

- By BEN LYNCH Local democracy reporter

A WEST London food bank needs more than £19,000 to fix up a new warehouse for the vast amounts of items it hands out to those in need, having been told to vacate its current premises.

Hammersmith and Fulham Food-bank, which has been based at the West London College by Barons Court station for four years, is to relocate to the former Flora Gardens Primary School in Hammersmith.

The former school has reportedly sat empty for a year, with a significant amount of cleaning up plus other works needed to make it suitable for the food bank.

Phil Storey, chief executive at Hammersmith and Fulham Food-bank, said the response so far has made the charity feel like "an important part of the community", and that people "really want to see us succeed and to help us".

Hammersmith and Fulham Food-bank, while a member of the Trussell Trust, is an independent charity distributing tonnes of food and other necessities to people in crisis every month.

Last year it provided 28,032 emergency food parcels to individuals and families in the borough.

Established in 2010, it has a staff team of 10 people though is reliant on its extensive network of volunteers.

As well as operating its warehouse, it runs eight weekly sessions at four sites across Hammersmith and Fulham and provides practical support and referrals to more than 100 local partners, covering issues such as debt and housing.