Windsor Foodshare bids for 'sponsors' to get fruits and veggies to those in need

Windsor Foodshare is encouraging members of the community to sponsor one person in need to receive a month of fresh fruit and veg.

The foodbank provides a supply of fresh fruit and vegetables on a weekly basis to those who are struggling.

Windsor Foodshare helped to feed more than 7,280 people in 2022.

Sarah Kember, manager, highlighted that it is one of the few foodbanks that actually supplies fresh fruits and veg, with others just offering mainly longer storage foods like tins and packets.

The foodbank buys the fruits and veg from wholesalers, which costs about £21,000 a year – about £3 a week per person.

With that in mind, the foodbank is asking for sponsorship costing £15 a month, roughly covering the cost per person for a months’ worth of fruit.

If this is too much, donors could consider sponsoring someone for one week out of a month (£3.50 a month).

One-off donations are also ‘invaluable’ to provide this much-needed food.

“This might be the only fresh fruit and veg they will get,” said Sarah.

“We all know how important it is, especially for growing children.”

Part of the reason for this drive for sponsorship is the hike in the cost of living. Much as it has hit families, it has hit the foodbank, too.

With rising food prices, this bill ‘sharply increased’ over the last several months.

This sponsorship project started last October and people have shown a willingness to sign up.

Sarah is hoping for more of the same, especially given the upcoming school summer holidays, where children home from school puts extra pressure on the food bill for young families.

She added that the foodbank is notably seeing more families now, compared to more single people in the past.

More and more new people previously unfamiliar to the foodbank are coming in seeking support.

“Families with two working parents are struggling, people who have always coped before,” said Sarah.

Monetary donations for fruit and veg will also be increasingly useful when donations from people’s allotments dwindle as the year goes on.

For those who do not live close to the donation drop-off sites, or can’t get there in good time to make sure fruit and veg don’t expire, this monetary contribution could be a better way to help.

“It’s just another, more convenuent way for people to help a local charity and local people,” Sarah said.

In addition to fresh produce, the foodbank ‘always needs’ ambient items, ie tins and packets of food.

To find out more, including where to drop food off, visit www.windsorfoodshare.org.uk

For the easiest way to make monetary contributions, visit Windsor Foodshare’s Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/windsorfoodshare 

Adding gift aid gives Windsor Foodshare 25 per cent on top of any donation.