Suncream donations needed at Salisbury Foodbank as summer arrives
Salisbury Foodbank needs donations
Salisbury Foodbank is asking for donations of suncream as the summer sun arrives in Wiltshire.
Maria Stevenson, the foodbank manager, says protection from the sun is an overlooked essential item.
She said: “It is an essential item, an item that sometimes we might overlook. I don't go out without my factor 50 and my daughter doesn't go out without our factor 50 but imagine if You couldn't afford that. What impact that could have on you and your family's health if you weren't able to protect yourself from the sun?
And with prices of all essential items rising, people who are struggling could be left at risk of heat related illnesses.
A surprise number 1 need from Foodbanks
Maria told us that toiletries are the number one item many people using Salisbury Foodbank ask for.
“When we ask people when they come into the food bank and if they would like any toiletries and they jump at that opportunity that they could receive toiletries. And when we ask them what they would like number one item that they would ask for his toilet roll.”
Donations of a wide range of items are needed at Salisbury Foodbank, including tinned fruit, rice pudding and custard. Long life juice. Long life, milk, but they’re also running low on pasta and soup.
“It's very rare that we would ever put a call out for pasta and soup, but we're running really low at lower than I would have liked to,” Maria said.
Going the extra mile
Foodbanks offer more than just essential food and toiletry, with Salisbury Foodbank, which is led by the Trussell Trust, offering additional services like sign posting support.
They also run a ‘Foodbank Plus’ scheme, where face-to-face citizens advice is on offer to people who access the foodbank.
Maria explained how the scheme seeks to help: “This is a paid for service, where citizen’s advice tries to maximize people, maximize people's income in the first instance but also help them out with a number of other needs such as housing issues and pip applications.
“They've been really great at securing extra additional funds for people accessing our support.”
These services are on offer in St. Pauls on Fisherton Street and In Amesbury on the high street.