Acting PCVC Steve White visits Kings Church Foodbank

Acting Police Crime and Victims’ Commissioner Steve White visited Kings Church food bank in Darlington yesterday and donated some much-needed food to support those that find themselves in hardship or crisis. The Church community have found the need in recent years for food banks and soup kitchens across the Darlington area.

The food bank has been running for 8 years and every year it is in more demand and every year brings new challenges.

 Steve White said “It has been heart-warming to get an insight into the good work carried out by the volunteers at Kings Church, delivering this much needed service. At these difficult times it is great to see the support they give: not just providing food, but also emotional and social support to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities”.

 Caroline Todd, Foodbank Manager, “We just couldn’t deliver this vital service without the generosity of the people of Darlington. We are grateful for the donation from the Police, Crime & Victims’ Commissioner, it is much needed”.

 Phil Hillsdon is the lead Elder at the Kings Church and he showed Steve around the vast building. He saw first-hand the work of the furniture donation department, volunteers rotating stocks of food to ensure they are all used within the use by dates, people making up food parcels and sorting toiletries whilst others run of the café.

The food bank is open from Tuesday to Friday weekly for referrals and open to the public on a Wednesday and Friday. Other days are spent collecting donations from local supermarkets sorting out produce. Caroline advised Steve that in 2019 they gave out around 6,500 food parcels, which equates to approximately 90,000 meals. The church works with other churches and foodbanks in the area to ensure that nothing is wasted.