On Saturday 18th November 2023 a small delegation from Alfred & Guthrum Lodge consisting of W.Bro. Fred Body (former Charity Steward), W. Bro. David Hayward (Charity Steward) and W. Bro. Jeff Body (Worshipful Master) visited the Cheddar Foodbank to hand over our Christmas donation. 

Working with two local butchers our former Charity Steward Worshipful Brother Fred Body organised 60 x £10 meat vouchers that will be given out by the Foodbank.  40 vouchers from Cobbs of Cheddar & 20 vouchers from Hectors of Wedmore, meaning that families can use them in their preferred shop.

While we were there, we had a chat with Elaine Reynolds and Nigel Lakin, two of the trustees.  Cheddar Valley Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust.  They opened in 2013 and currently rent a small unit in the Wessex Business Centre opening on Monday and Saturday mornings from 10:30am-12:30pm.  They rely on donations of both food, and money to help with operational costs.  All the staff are volunteers but rent needs to be paid and they need to buy food for the parcels when donations aren't available.

It is hard to comprehend that even today families are going without food and other essentials like hygiene products.  Each month this foodbank alone hands out up to 40 parcels to local families.  If you want to help them, they welcome financial donations, food donations and volunteers.  There are donation boxes in Sainsburys, Cheddar and Co-Op, Winscombe.  They cannot store fresh food and therefore ask for long-life foods (cans, dried goods, jars etc), toiletries, and cleaning items as an example.  Financial donations can be made on their website – www.cheddarvalleyfoodbank.org.uk