New Margate food bank needs your help to stock up

An independent food bank for residents in Margate is expected to launch this week.

John Finnegan and Darryn De La Soul, who had been working with the St Austin and St Gregory’s food parcels delivery service, are heading up the Margate Independent Food Bank which will be based at Union Church in Union Row/Union Crescent.

The duo, and volunteers, are linking up with Sharon Goodyer of Our Kitchen on the Isle of Thanet in their bid to make sure those in need do not go hungry.

A fundraiser has been set up to help the food bank stock up with groceries and non food supplies such as PPE.

Darryn said: “We are setting up this week and hope to functioning by Thursday or Friday latest. We need: egg boxes (half dozens) and the big sturdy 60p supermarket bags. We also would be grateful for cash donations for non-food supplies like PPE, and, of course, any food donations.

“We will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays once we are running, doing both collection and delivery for those who can’t collect. Times for collection will be 10.45am to 12.45pm.”

In a statement on the fundraiser page Darryn and John say the St Austin and St Gregory service is now going in a different direction and this has prompted the new food bank project.

They say: “The work we’re doing is not finished. The people of Margate are going to need help for some time to come. The new food bank is to carry on and finish what we started.

“We are starting from scratch so need help to carry on our work. Every penny will go a long way to help families in need.”

Food bank use during the covid pandemic has experienced a hug rise, Ramsgate services have seen a four-fold increase.

The surge in reliance on food parcels has coincided with an increase in universal credit applications

The fundraiser, which has a £2000 target, can be found here.