The foodbank is a community project which provides emergency help for local people in financial crisis. It operates on St Thomas’ car park and is supported by local churches, as well as schools, businesses and individuals.
Parcels are distributed from the cabin twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9.30 to 12. In addition, an emergency service is also available providing immediate support for those who can’t wait until the next time opening time.
The foodbank relies on donations of non-perishable items and a balanced parcel of food is supplemented with fresh items from Ashton Pantry. Recipients are given free membership to the pantry once they have had five weeks of parcels to give them access to a wide range of food at a fraction of the cost in the shops.
We work in partnership with Job Centre Plus, Health Visitors, Start Well, Wigan and Leigh Housing Trust, local doctors and others with specialist knowledge of people’s circumstances. These organisations are referring those they have identified as being in crisis.
Donations can be left in the following official deposit boxes:
- At the foodbank cabin itself,
- The Childcare and Community Centre on Hilton Street,
Some individuals have also helped by setting up their own collection points outside their homes at certain times of the year, such as the collection point often at 96 Wotton Drive.