By Twinkle Troughton
Margate Independent Food Bank is in urgent need of new premises after being given six weeks to vacate the space at Union Church.
The church is preparing for reopening following the government announcement of the roadmap for easing restrictions and has commitments to honour that were made prior to the pandemic.
The church has requested the service leaves by April 10, not through any fault but because it cannot accommodate its groups and the foodbank.
Margate Independent Foodbank, headed up by John Finnegan and Darryn De La Soul, has been at Union Church twice a week since last June but is now urgently seeking new premises to continue with their vital work.
The food bank needs to operate within a safe and secure space which has a large room for packing food parcels, and separate storage. There are specific requirements for running their bi-weekly operations smoothly and effectively.
These are:
– Ground floor, no steps
– Easy access for clients collecting parcels on foot
– Easy access for vehicles to load food parcels for delivery (On double yellow line is fine as loading is permitted, but must have enough space for other traffic to still get past)
– Access for large lorries delivering pallets
– Longevity; security for the foreseeable future is crucial
– Preferably close to a supermarket
– Hot running water
– If possible, a kitchen
– Low rent or a donated space rent free
– Small office space
The foodbank, which helps around 300 people a week, has a demanding year ahead helping those in need in Margate.
The clothes bank at Union Church, run by The Community Project, is also on the hunt for a new base.
If you know of anywhere within Margate that fits the food bank’s needs, please contact John Finnegan and Darryn De La Soul at mifoodbank@aol.com or go to www.margateindependentfoodbank.org to find out more
Please if you can help or now any one that could help uss please come forward here is my home number 01843 296822
Cliftonville Synagogue has just been saved for the community…surely it is perfect. https://theisleofthanetnews.com/2020/12/30/anonymous-benefactor-assures-success-of-cliftonville-save-our-shul-campaign/
Thanks for the idea, Gary, the synagogue is not ready for use – but keep the ideas coming!
The wonderful Church kick out a food feeding initiative. How Christian of them.
Don’t be too hard on them! They’ve been amazing and helped us at very short notice and do have prior commitments.
No “a fence” but sometimes you come across a “brick wall” dealing with the some people and some organisations. It’s enough to have you wailing at a wall, feeling in “mortar danger” and “bricking” it at the same time. Of “course” I’m “pointing” out the obvious, I don’t mean to “stretcher” the point or crash your “party wall”, I’d hate to overstep the “boundary wall” so good luck and hope that everyone is “coping”
John 12:8 applies.
Isaiah 38:2
I can’t remember the name of them but there is a very large building at the top of athesten Rd in cliftonville that was open next to the carwash. They might be able to help.
Not Margate, but how about the empty Westgate Pavilion?
Surely another church could be found, they are empty now arn’t they?
The old Primark, Woolworths or Store 21 on the High Street or team up with one of the many charities?
The winter gardens