The Brierley Hill and Amblecote Primary Care Network have made an incredible donation of £5000 to the Black Country Foodbank in Brierley Hill.
Due to the increase of financial pressures on households, the use of food banks is increasing yearly. This is reflected in the number of patients seen in local NHS services needing help with nutrition.
South Street Foodbank, in Brierley Hill, is one of the busiest foodbanks is the busiest foodbank in the Black Country, and the donation was made to help support the battle against health inequalities.
Brierley Hill and Amblecote Primary Care Network Clinical Lead, Dr Ruth Tapparo said:
“Donating to our local foodbank will help provide food to those facing hardship and hunger. We hope this contribution will mean fewer people will need to go without essentials. We hope this reflects a shared responsibility for the health and prosperity of our Brierley Hill and Amblecote Primary Care Network community.”
This donation will provide toiletries for patients and allow social prescribers – staff who assess patient’s social needs – to issue vouchers to patients for the food bank. The money provided will also buy translation devices for every food bank to reduce language barriers, provide general food and toiletry provisions, and help run the delivery vans.
Keeley Jones, Deputy CEO and Operations Manager at Black Country Foodbank, said:
“We are so grateful to the PCN for this generous donation that will go a long way to supporting local people experiencing financial hardship. Breaking down language barriers is key in helping reduce health inequalities and ensuring people can access the support they need. The funds will also be used to purchase food and toiletry items we are short of and help keep our vans on the road.”
Black Country Foodbank’s current priorities are to:
Reduce the number of patients needing to use a foodbank
Work collaboratively. Working with Healthwatch Dudley to provide support on premises for additional signposting. There and then action.
More resilient food provision. Teaching communities how to grow their own fruit and vegetables and exploring other options, like the possibility of community kitchens
Bringing stakeholders together around the topic of child food poverty
Diane Wake, chief executive of The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust said: “It is amazing to see one of our Primary Care Networks make a donation such as this to help those in need in Brierley Hill and Amblecote.
The funds donated to South Street Foodbank is a positive step in ensuring the wellbeing and health of our local population is an absolute priority.”
If you would like to find out more about the foodbank’s work or want to know how to help, please visit, Black Country Foodbank
