'We want people to heat and eat this Christmas' says Salisbury Foodbank
The charity has launched its annual reverse Advent
Last updated 5th Nov 2024
A Salisbury charity is calling on the city's community spirit to help it ensure struggling families across South Wiltshire are fed and warm this Christmas.
Salisbury Foodbank has launched its annual 'reverse Advent' to help boost pre-Christmas stocks, with demand set to increase.
Reverse Advent works like the classic advent calendar many of us will know. We're asked to pack 24 specific items into a box that is then donated to the foodbank.
It's hoped that these will become part of 200 food parcels delivered to households in need ahead of the festive season.
Foodbank Manager Maria Stevenson told Greatest Hits Radio they're entering their busiest time of the year.
"The colder the month is, the more people tend to come to the food bank," she said.
Maria added: "It's a bit like when you look at your electricity bill or your heating bill, when that rises, so do the people coming to the food bank rise.
"People coming to the food bank are less likely to be able to afford things like they're heating, and that's when they have to decide whether they're going to heat or eat. We're here preparing for a great Christmas so that they can heat and eat."
The packages that the reverse Advent donations become part of will be delivered to nominated families from either schools or caregivers.
The charity is coming off the back of a successful harvest season, with the warehouse shelves very full at the moment. But Maria said it's still not enough.
"I've stepped into the warehouse this morning and I was like, wow, it's bursting. This is really good news, but actually it's only good news if our demand stayed flat as it was. I know that within the next few weeks our demand will start to peak again as we head into Christmas," she said.
Maria is encouraging all of us to look out for those in our community who might be facing a difficult festive period.
She's counting on the strength of Salisbury's community spirit.
She said: "I know we would all have views on one thing or another, but we really do come together as a as a city, as a small city. We've got a great community feel."