​Food bank’s festive plea

​In previous years, Horncastle Community Food Bank has provided Christmas food hampers for clients who use their food bank for an emergency supply of food, with some additional festive treats included, when they have been struggling financially.

But this year, instead of people being able to self-refer to the food bank to ask for a parcel, the larder is having to only provide a festive hamper to those who have been referred through the professional channels due to spiralling costs and a decrease in donations.

This comes after the larder has seen just a quarter of their average donations being handed in, as was reported back in October.

Spokesman Isabel Forrester explained: “Over the past three years we’ve been able to provide festive parcels for those who need them, but we’re struggling for food supplies, and if we provided one to everyone who self-referred, we’d have to fund it all ourselves and we just don’t have any excess stock this year.”

Isabel and the food bank’s volunteers have extended their thanks to everyone who has donated to their Christmas toy appeal, including Myers Bakery for their donations of plum bread, as well as the Cameo Club, the town’s flower arranging group, and Skegness & District Runners for their collections, as well as the Ship Inn in Horncastle who have held an appeal for festive treats such as chocolates and selection boxes.

Donations of staples for the food bank’s parcels are always desperately needed, including tinned meat, tinned vegetables, rice pudding, and hot drinks.

A full list of what donations are needed, and where these can be dropped off, can be found at https://www.horncastlecommunitylarder.co.uk/what-where-to-donate

“We want to have plenty of stock in ready for January as that’s always our quietest month, so any donations people could provide would be much appreciated,” Isabel added.

If you need to be referred to Horncastle's community larder, you must be referred though a professional agency such as Citizen’s Advice, social services, or Horncastle Community Links.