Merseyside Homebuilder Lends Helping Hand to Local Foodbank

The foodbank, located in St. Leonard’s Youth and Community Centre in Bootle, is part of the Trussell Trust; a network of foodbanks across the UK working together to provide emergency food and support people facing hardships.

Between April 2023 and March 2024, their foodbanks distributed more than 3.1 million emergency food parcels to people facing hardship.

The network is made up of more than 1,300 foodbank centres, providing a minimum of three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food to people who have been referred.

Debbie Shelley, Manager of South Sefton Foodbank, said: “The foodbank has been open since May 2013. We have seven distribution centres across South Sefton which are run by 62 volunteers.

“We are a very busy foodbank and last year fed 15,000 people. We also offer a range of Wrap Around Care activities including Welfare and Benefits Advice, Self-Help Groups, and a variety of courses including cooking.”

According to research by the Local Government Association, in the Sefton Borough, one sixth of children below the age of 16 live in relative poverty. Due to the cost of living crisis, this figure is on an upward trajectory and has already seen a rise of 17.5 per cent in the last five years.

Debbie continues: “We will use Barratt Homes’ donation to purchase food for the foodbank as we quite often run short.

“I would like to thank everyone who donates to the foodbank, people in the area are very generous, we could not keep going without them. Every item donated really does make a difference.”

South Sefton Foodbank is located close to Barratt Homes’ Sundial Place development on Lydiate Lane in Thornton.

Claire Jarvis, Managing Director at Barratt Homes North West, said: “We are proud to support the South Sefton Foodbank as it continues to carry out its vital work in the local area.

“We would encourage anyone struggling to reach out to the charity and get the support that they need, and we would also ask that anyone who can either donate or volunteer their time to please consider doing so.”

For more information on how to support the charity, visit the website at South Sefton Trussel Trust.

For more information about any nearby developments, visit the website at Barratt Homes in Merseyside.