“This is not about the food”
Cliff has been attending Lister Hill Baptist Church for 30 years. A year after retiring from his job in IT, Cliff felt God was calling him to give up everything he was involved in at church to make space for something new. Cliff started volunteering with Leeds North and West Foodbank as a driver, before taking on the role of logistics manager. This began as 20 hours a week but with the pandemic became full time. His role included managing the warehouse and coordinating volunteers and the collection and drop off of food. Cliff says this was God’s plan not his, as this is not where he expected to be. Cliff enjoyed knowing that what he was doing was having an impact in people’s lives – and people in his own life were now taking an interest in what he was doing!
The Trussell Trust foodbanks provide an emergency stop gap for anyone who is in crisis. People are referred though various agencies, this could be due to family break ups, receiving an unexpected bill etc. Before the pandemic, people would go to a Distribution Centre. While their food parcel was being put together, they would chat to someone about their situation and be signposted to relevant agencies. This is why Clifford says the foodbank is not about the food – the food is needed in the short term but is also a way through which people can be signposted to support so they can resolve the crisis they face. This support, along with campaigning, is how the Trussell Trust aims to ‘create a UK without the need for foodbanks.’
The Foodbank Distribution Centres have been closed during Covid-19 and food parcels have been delivered to people’s homes instead. The Centres will be opening again over the next three months and volunteers will be needed. The workload at the warehouse will increase during the reopening which will also require more volunteers. To find out more about volunteering or donating food, please visit the Leeds North and West Foodbank website.