Carpenters Foodbank: Part of the Community, Supporting the Community

Case Study: Carpenters Foodbank working in partnership to support the local community

Carpenters Foodbank is based at the Withywood Centre in South Bristol and provides food/meals for people in the community and surrounding area.

For more than a decade it’s been providing support for local people struggling with financial hardship, domestic violence, food/fuel poverty, change of benefits, and many others challenges. 

“I think it's very sad that we have to have food banks in this day” says Tracey Phillips - Carpenters Foodbank Manager

“We want to help serve the people of South Bristol by giving a warm welcome, non-judgmental and safe space, to provide advice from professionals, to listen with empathy to each person, and offer prayer.” 

“We're not any official body in any way. We’re a body of volunteers working from across local churches and so it can be slightly more relaxed.”

Carpenters’ location enables the Foodbank to partner and refer people to get extra help from agencies like South Bristol Advice Service, health visitors and medical staff at the centre.

“We provide food but that's just the first step. We work with over 80 agencies across the city and it's about helping people. So it might be working with debt advice or even some of the smaller partnerships that we have that people may not be aware of, so they can get a little bit of help to help them get out of that crisis.”

Carpenters is staffed by many dedicated volunteers, but like many other food banks and charitable organisations across the city, finances are required to cover basic running costs and venue hire. 

“We're desperate for funding always because we have to pay for the rooms that we're hire here at the centre, but also for the food. So twice a week we put in online shopping bills for nearly 300 for and £2 a week. But we can only do that because of the generosity that people give. And if we don't have any fund, then we can't do it.

“God gives us (that) help through the funding because there are some weeks when we see this room and see this crates just stacked up and we just get on our knees and say, Lord, you can do it. And, you know, every week he's never let us down in the last 10-11 years.”

BCCF grants help deliver targeted positive impact to critical needs across Bristol. Your donations enable local projects like this one to serve and support local people.

For more information

• visit Carpenters Food & Support Newsletter or

• visit Carpenters Food & Support Facebook.

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