Welcome to the Alnwick District Food Bank site. Alnwick District Food Bank started as North Northumberland Food Bank in 2012 with the vision of Jan Casson – Regional Manager for Surestart in the Berwick Area. She saw first hand through her dealings with single parents accessing the Childrens Centres across North Northumberland that there were many unable to afford essential food to feed themselves and their families. As a result, and partnering with Berwick Development Trust, Jan set up North Food Bank to address the need. Recognising the geography of North Northumberland and wanting to build on Jan’s great platform, a few of us got together at the start of 2014 to create an ‘Alnwick District Branch’ encompassing Coquetdale to the Coast.

 

As Alnwick District Food Bank, we serve the community from Coquetdale in the west to the Coast in the east with a completely volunteer-led team seeking to meet the essential food needs of disadvantaged individuals and families. This is achieved by liaising with referral agencies and working closely with churches and other organisations (CAB, NETs etc) with record keeping and data led intelligence to help ensure integrity and transparency for the project. We do also accept self-referrals.

​

We are independent, self-funded and require not only food donations, but also finance and 100% of all money donated goes towards providing the charity services.  We are now based at the Lindisfarne Centre in Alnwick and willing volunteers are prepared to give a few hours a month to sort, pack and deliver food to those in need. Our main method of distribution is by clients coming into the Food Bank to collect.  In exceptional circumstances we can deliver but this service is very limited.

​

The charity consists of 50 volunteers and 5 Trustees made up from all age groups and backgrounds.  We value the varied experience that volunteers can bring to the charity.  The Trustees roles are Chair, Treasurer, Volunteer Coordinator, Distribution/communications and Stock Control.